Zoning and land use are often some of the most important issues that cities and local governments handle.
City governments struggling with new state zoning law
How can public officials avoid claims of retaliation?
Federal and local governments usually encourage whistleblowers to come forward if they witness legal or ethical violations in their workplace. But what happens when employees blow the whistle on public entities?
Your city on social media
It seems that the time where people, businesses and other entities could decide if they would exist on social media has passed. Now, there are dozens of platforms and billions of users that ensure there are mentions of even the most private entities.
Mason's football title rampage confirms Punchers' No. 1 ranking
The dreams of most young Texas football players likely include showing their stuff on the field at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. The dream came true late last month for teams from across the state, including the Punchers out of Mason. And the Punchers demonstrated clearly why they own the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press 2A state poll with a 44-6 win over the fifth-ranked New Deal Lions.
Getting short-term rental rules right
Need a ride? Pull up your Uber or Lyft app? Need a short-hop vehicle to get you from your office to the nearest mass transit? Look for a shared electric scooter. Add to these forms of online business the applications that support short-term home rentals through outlets like Airbnb and VRBO.
Paying for court-ordered public works
How's your city's infrastructure? Is it something you are proud of, or is it something of a sore spot aesthetically and financially? Do you even know what we're talking about when we refer to infrastructure? According to at least one city planning educator, the word is only about 35 years old. He says "public works" is the traditional term and he suggests it is better in that it describes the function and audience served.
What are penalties under Texas Open Meetings Act
In previous posts, we focused on requirements of the Texas Open Meeting Act (OMA), and the attention to detail required to ensure that processes and procedures are in place to ensure that government activities are conducted legally and transparently. In this post, we will offer a view of the consequences that public officials could face if someone claims violation of the law.
Ways to avoid government transparency law violations
Fostering the rights of the public to hold elected and other public officials accountable is crucial for the ongoing success of society. Because of that, all the states in the U.S. have adopted laws dictating the actions of government bodies regarding the formation of public policy.
United States Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Local Governments
For years, businesses have been able to skirt the taxation power of local governments when selling goods online. Those days are over.
Whatever Happened To Governmental Immunity In Texas?
It used to be that taxpayers could expect a certain level of immunity for their municipalities. After all, why should taxpayers be punished for the rogue actions of one particular individual? A recent case from the Texas Supreme Court, however, should have taxpayers and municipalities concerned that the protection of governmental immunity is eroding. In Wasson v. City of Jacksonville (Wasson II), the Texas Supreme Court ruled that the city waived its immunity.
