University of Wisconsin–Madison
Progressive Local Government
For the 21st Century

ProGov21 Policy Library

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Dirt Diggers Digest Guide to Strategic Corporate Research
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Good Jobs First
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Public access to corporate information functions as an important bulwark against the excesses of private power. This guide lists key sources of company information, provides tips for mapping governance structures, and demonstrates best practices for analyzing company legal records...
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We Need Major Reform that Prioritizes the Needs of our Child Care Workforce
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Center for the Study of Child Care Employment
Policy Areas Children & Families, Economic Justice, Education
This infographic argues that subsidized child care is ineffective until the early care and education system is reformed to ensure educators earn fair wages and benefits. Although subsidies have the potential to help low-income families afford child care, tax credits primarily benefit...
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Show Us the Local Subsidies: Cities and Counties Disclosing Economic Development Subsidies
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2013
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source Good Jobs First
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance, Economic Justice
Most cities and counties do not provide accessible information about which companies receive subsidies, tax benefits, or job creation. Taxpayers are entitled to know how public funds are used and whether they deliver promised outcomes. This report uses a scoring system to evaluate...
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Madison Cooperative Development Coalition 2022 Program Report
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level City or Town
State(s) Wisconsin
Source MCDC
Policy Areas Economic Justice
The Madison Cooperative Development Coalition (MCDC) is a city-funded initiative focused on fostering worker cooperatives in Madison to address income inequality, worker power, and racial disparities. MCDC provides education and technical assistance on the cooperative model and grants...
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Solar Parking Requirements
Type Article
Year 2012
Level City or Town
State(s) California
Source THE ACCESS ALMANAC
Policy Areas Energy, Environment & Natural Resources, Transportation & Mobility
The problem of increasing peak-hour energy demand created by new developments and the underutilization of solar power in parking lots is addressed. Cities or towns should amend their zoning codes to require solar power installations in parking lots of new buildings, specifying a certain...
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El Paso Financial Incentives Policy Update
Type Act or Session Law
Year 2018
Level City or Town
State(s) Texas
Source Economic and International Development Department of El Paso
Policy Areas Community Development, Finance & Procurement
This ordinance updates the City of El Paso's incentive policies for supporting firms and projects that deliver local benefits and create high-quality jobs. The policy defines high-quality jobs as ones providing career advancement opportunities, workforce development partnerships,...
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Beginner’s Guide to Economic Development
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2021
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Good Jobs First
Policy Areas Economic Justice
Local governments provide subsidies to attract companies to locate in their communities but keep citizens in the dark about these deals. Subsidized development deals must be transparent, and companies and officials must be accountable to the public. This report recommends that cities...
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Cash is King: Short-Term Strategies to Slow the Flow of Money Out the Door and Keep the Budget Balanced
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source Government Finance Officers Association
Policy Areas Democracy & Governance
Local governments need to make sure they have enough cash on hand for essential services. During a financial crisis, the first thing local governments should do is slow the net flow of cash exiting and find ways to rebalance the budget. This report presents retrenchment techniques...
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Playing with Public Money in Milwaukee
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2022
Level City or Town
State(s) Wisconsin
Source COWS, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice
Public subsidies for sports stadiums, like Milwaukee's proposed Iron District, are often justified by promises of economic development, but decades of research show they rarely deliver significant local benefits. The report highlights how developers capitalize on public resources...
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Lake County Ordinance 1391B Establishing Responsible Bidding Practices & Requirements
Type Ordinance or Resolution
Year 2017
Level County
State(s) Indiana
Source American Legal Publishing
Policy Areas Finance & Procurement
This ordinance establishes standards for contractors bidding on construction projects valued at $150,000 or more, requiring that firms provide documentation legal and tax compliance, staffing capabilities, participation in apprenticeship programs, and worker classification. ...
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Shrinking aid for Ohio's poorest families
Type Fact Sheet or Infographic
Year 2013
Level County, State
State(s) Ohio
Source Policy Matters Ohio
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Civil Rights, Health, Housing
Ohio's cash assistance program is made less effective by work participation-based sanctions, which bar many applicants from receiving aid. This report recommends allowing adults without disabilities to receive food aid for one year, investing more TANF dollars in direct aid for families,...
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Dirt Diggers Digest Guide to Strategic Corporate Research
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2024
Level City or Town, County, State
State(s) All States
Source Good Jobs First
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement
Public access to corporate information functions as an important bulwark against the excesses of private power. This guide lists key sources of company information, provides tips for mapping governance structures, and demonstrates best practices for analyzing company legal records...
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Understanding Financing Options Used for Public Infrastructure
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2021
Level City or Town, State, National
State(s) All States
Source Government Finance Officers Association
Policy Areas Community Development, Public Spaces
State and local governments primarily issue bonds to pay for long term capital projects and longstanding infrastructure. This report provides an overview of tax-exempt bonds and other financing used by state and local governments and public entities. In particular, this report discusses...
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The Financial Impact of COVID Licensing Standards on NJ Child Care Providers
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level State
State(s) New Jersey
Source National Institute for Early Education Research
Policy Areas Children & Families, Education
As New Jersey tentatively reopens K-12 schools after being closed for over five months, many of the state’s child care providers have remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to serve the children of essential workers. Throughout this time, providers have been required to observe...
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Job Creation on a Budget: How Regional Industry Clusters Can Add Jobs, Bolster Entrepreneurship, and Spark Innovation
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2011
Level State
State(s) All States
Source Brookings-Rockefeller
Policy Areas Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Democracy & Governance, Data & Technology
While conventional strategies of tax credits, training programs, and public infrastructure are crucial for economic development, the cultivation of regional industry clusters offers an innovative strategy for job growth and entrepreneurship. This report explains how these industry...
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Chronic Homelessness: Policy Solutions
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2010
Level City or Town
State(s) All States
Source National Alliance To End Homelessness
Policy Areas Housing, Public Safety, Civil Rights, Economic Justice
This report outlines some of the causes of chronic homelessness and recommends permanent supportive housing, which pairs subsidies with case management and supportive services. It also highlights some of the benefits of permanent supportive housing programs including long-term housing...
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To Improve Housing Affordability, We Need Better Alignment of Zoning, Taxes, and Subsidies
Type Policy Brief or Report
Year 2020
Level City or Town, County
State(s) All States
Source Brookings
Policy Areas Community Development, Economic Justice, Finance & Procurement, Housing
As housing costs continue to rise faster than incomes, localities should promote affordable housing through land use reforms that increase residential density and taxes on expensive and underused land. This report recommends establishing high-density zoning ordinances and levying...
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Displaying 17 of 17 records.

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