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Mass. High Court Clears White Stadium Renovation in Franklin Park
6 days ago•Source: The Boston Globe
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No-Show at Pied-à-Terre Hearing Sparks NYC Council Outcry
NYC Council members blasted Mayor Mamdani's administration at a City Hall hearing on the pied-à-terre tax after the administration skipped the session. The hearing highlighted a botched rollout: the city has sent notices to about 17,000 households, with exemptions applications swelling from 4,290 to 9,884, and mis-targeted properties rising to 2,318. Lawmakers demanded in-person explanations as lawsuits—led by Randy Mastro—mount against the surcharge on vacant luxury homes. The tax, meant to help close a $5.4 billion budget gap, has drawn criticism over transparency and homework, while Mamdani was reportedly vacationing upstate.
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Multnomah County commits $101M to Moda Center renovation amid arena funding push
Blazer's Edge•18 days ago
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Tarrant County court clears room during voting-site reduction hearing
Fort Worth Report•20 days ago
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Seattle Tightens SEPA Appeals to Accelerate Housing Drive
Seattle City Council approved a narrow 5-4 SEPA reform to curb city-level appeals of broad zoning changes by moving SEPA challenges to King County Superior Court or the Growth Management Hearings Board, aligning Seattle with nearby jurisdictions. Supporters say the change speeds housing production and supports Mayor Wilson’s Taller Denser Faster plan, while opponents warn it weakens environmental protections and could reduce public input. The measure affects the Harrell growth plan’s next phase and reflects continued partisan debate over how quickly Seattle should grow.
Rays stadium funding stalls as team eyes county-backed route
Tampa’s City Council postponed a key CRA vote on funding for the Rays’ proposed $2.3 billion stadium amid frustration with exclusive talks, signaling friction over public financing. The team could bypass the council by pursuing a Hillsborough County Tax Increment Financing district for about $100 million, with the remaining funds likely covered privately. The delay comes as officials weigh the Drew Park redevelopment plan, potential community benefits, and a looming statewide property tax referendum that could affect local revenues and shape the final deal.
Oakland moves forward on seller-financed Coliseum sale amid criticism and rival bid
Oakland lawmakers advanced a revised $125 million deal to sell the city’s 50% stake in the Coliseum complex, pairing a $50 million arena sale with $60 million of seller-financed financing at 5% interest for the stadium parcel (first payment deferred to 2032) to keep the deal alive and reduce ongoing costs. The agreement follows a missed payment deadline by the original buyer and a federal corruption probe linked to former Mayor Sheng Thao, drawing criticism over transparency. Legends Global had proposed a competing $102.5 million bid for the arena and related revenues but was not chosen. The City Council is set to vote again on July 21.
Hillsborough mulls DeSantis tax plan amid Rays stadium talks
Hillsborough County will assess how Gov. DeSantis’ property-tax plan—boosting the homestead exemption and capping commercial property at 5%—could affect finances as the county negotiates a Rays stadium deal; Commissioner Chris Boles pushes for questions on long-term exposure, reserves, taxpayer protections, and the enforceability of private commitments, noting a $103 million rainy-day fund within a proposed $976 million public contribution and the potential need to revisit financial templates.
Mamdani Forms Charter-Review Panel to Streamline NYC Government
Mayor Mamdani announced the launch of the Commission on Government Efficiency (COGE), a Charter Revision panel led by Patrick Gaspard to review the New York City Charter, remove outdated barriers, and modernize government to speed up infrastructure, services and budgeting; the panel will hold 10 public hearings across the five boroughs and propose charter amendments for the November ballot, with Ann Cheng named as proposed executive director.
San Diego trims trash fees and ends Balboa Park paid parking
San Diego approved a settlement to cut the controversial trash pickup fees and end paid parking in Balboa Park by year-end. The deal reduces the monthly trash fee to $38.75 with a phased rollout and a two-year rollback, avoids a potentially costly ballot measure, and includes an independent audit of trash costs. It lowers near-term city revenue but preserves park access as the council reviews timelines and funding for the changes.
Portland Budget Showdown: PCEF, Shelters, and Trees at the Center
Portland’s City Council spent a marathon budget session negotiating amendments to Mayor Wilson’s plan to close a $160 million gap, with contentious votes over diverting Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF) dollars, preserving union jobs, and funding housing, shelters, and parks. Highlights included a unanimous move to establish a city data privacy office; an 8-4 vote to restore Urban Forestry staff; and several high-stakes 6-6 ties on measures to realign funds, pause the core realignment, or fund Albina housing and other shelter projects. Several amendments failed or were withdrawn as councilors grappled with budget reserves ahead of final votes due by June 30, underscoring deep divisions across the chamber.
Oakland City Administrator Resigns Over Degrading Texts About Female Staff
Oakland City Administrator Jestin Johnson resigns after an investigation confirmed crude, demeaning text messages about female staff; interim city administrator Betsy Lake will take over, following a statement from Mayor Barbara Lee.
San Diego’s $118M Budget Gap: Tough Tradeoffs to Keep City Services Running
San Diego faces a $118 million budget shortfall for the current year, prompting Mayor Todd Gloria to propose painful cuts to arts and culture, libraries, parks and recreation, while KPBS explains the underpinnings of the city’s finances—general fund, special revenue and enterprise funds—and what a structural deficit means, aided by an interactive budget-balancing game and insights from Independent Budget Analyst Charles Modica on how decisions are evaluated and made for the July 1–June 30 fiscal year.
Settlement on San Diego Trash Fee Heads to City Council as Trial Looms
A dispute over San Diego's single-family trash fee heads toward a potential settlement reviewed by the City Council on Monday; if approved, Tuesday's opening statements would be canceled as the parties seek to resolve the case, though the deal's terms remain undisclosed.