Augusta Planning Commission set to meet Aug. 3 on development and zoning matters
Augusta’s Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a pre-meeting at 2 p.m. and its regular meeting at 3 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Augusta Municipal Building.
Politics & Government
Elections, public policy, government decisions, budgets, regulation, ethics, civil rights, and public administration.
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Charlotte council faces renewed I-77 South toll-lane vote amid repayment risk
Charlotte City Council is expected to revisit I-77 South toll lanes by Sept. 23 after reversing its earlier support, while a state budget provision raises the prospect of local governments repaying NCDOT investments if the project does not move forward under required terms.
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Salt Lake City plans August hearing on proposed downtown economic-promotion assessment
Salt Lake City Council documents outline an August public hearing and protest process for a proposed assessment on specially benefited commercial properties supporting economic-promotion activities.
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Oklahoma governor orders statewide review of public-school spending ahead of Aug. 31 deadline
Gov. Kevin Stitt has directed a statewide review of transparency in public-school spending, with a completed report due to his office by Aug. 31, 2026.
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Maine Supreme Court upholds invalidation of signatures collected by four out-of-state circulators
Maine’s highest court affirmed the Secretary of State’s decision to invalidate petition signatures collected by four out-of-state circulators, a ruling reported July 10 by the department.
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Oregon governor details 2026 legislative-session measures on services, workforce and state finances
Gov. Tina Kotek’s office says Oregon’s 2026 short legislative session centered on stabilizing essential services, addressing affordability and economic conditions, and responding to a budget shortfall it attributes to congressional actions.
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Milwaukee County election officials point voters to absentee and drop-box resources ahead of Aug. 11 primary
Milwaukee County’s Election Commission lists Wisconsin’s Aug. 11, 2026, partisan primary and provides links to candidate, nomination-paper, drop-box and in-person absentee-voting information.
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Pennsylvania sues over federal conditions tied to nearly $6 million in homeland-security funds
Pennsylvania joined a multistate lawsuit challenging federal conditions attached to 2026 Homeland Security Grant Program funding, including election-related and immigration-enforcement requirements.
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South Dakota seeks federal disaster declaration after severe storms and historic wind damage
Gov. Larry Rhoden requested a presidential major-disaster declaration covering eight South Dakota counties and two reservations after storms that included a mini-derecho, tornado and historic windstorm.
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Austin opens public comment on proposed City Charter amendments
The City of Austin says public comment is open on proposed City Charter amendments following the Austin City Council’s July 28, 2026, meeting. The available city notice does not describe the proposals or list a final action date.
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Juneau Assembly schedules hearing on proposed temporary 3% areawide sales tax
A July 27 public hearing is scheduled on a proposed five-year, 3% areawide sales tax that would be put to Juneau voters. The same hearing notice includes a proposed school bond of up to $16 million for the Oct. 6 municipal election.
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Honolulu voters will decide four City Council contests in the August 8 primary
Hawaii’s August 8 primary will include a mail-conducted, nonpartisan first special election for four Honolulu City Council seats. Contests without a majority winner may move to November 3.
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Frederick’s FY2027 budget takes effect after unanimous council approval
Frederick City Council unanimously adopted Mayor Michael O’Connor’s FY2027 budget proposal on May 29. The city’s financial plan took effect July 1.
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Newark Municipal Council holds public hearing on 2026 municipal budget
Newark’s Municipal Council held a July 15 public hearing on the city’s 2026 annual municipal budget, placing the operating-spending plan before the council as part of the budget adoption process.
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Miami voters will decide Aug. 18 whether to move city elections to even-numbered years
Miami’s Aug. 18 special-election ballot includes a proposed charter amendment that would shift city elections to even-numbered years and temporarily shorten terms for officials elected in 2031 and 2033.
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Santa Fe docket lists joint city-county annexation resolution for Area 1B
Santa Fe’s legislative-services docket lists Resolution 2026-18, a joint City of Santa Fe–Santa Fe County measure regarding annexation of Area 1B.
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Jackson City Council considers temporary moratorium on data centers
Jackson City Council debated a regulatory framework for data centers on July 6, 2026, and introduced a temporary moratorium for consideration. Available reporting does not establish final passage of the proposal.
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Georgia says audit confirmed reported results in two June primary runoff contests
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said a risk-limiting audit involving election officials in all 159 counties confirmed the reported vote count in the Republican U.S. Senate and Democratic lieutenant-governor runoffs held June 16, 2026.
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South Dakota Republican governor race heads to early August runoff
Gov. Larry Rhoden and an unnamed challenger advanced to a statewide Republican gubernatorial runoff after no candidate reached South Dakota’s 35% nomination threshold in the primary.
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Fairbanks city election candidate filing period closes after four-day window
Fairbanks’ candidate filing period for the Oct. 6, 2026, municipal election ran July 26-29. The city has linked to an unofficial list of filings.
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California leaders announce balanced 2026-27 budget with zero projected deficit
Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature’s top leaders announced a proposed 2026-27 California budget agreement that projects no deficit for two years and would hold more than $6 billion in anticipated revenue.
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Whitmer announces departure of Michigan Chief of Staff JoAnne Huls
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced July 17, 2026, that Chief of Staff JoAnne Huls will depart the Michigan governor’s office. The announcement identified Principal Deputy Chief of Staff Zack Pohl and the executive-office divisions he has overseen, but did not specify an effective departure date or name a permanent successor.