Creative collaborations – boosting revenues for state parks, government coffers

state parks

“Luxury” is not a word often associated with accommodations at state parks. However, a public-private partnership (P3/PPP) in West Virginia is out to change that notion. In Lewis County, the Stonewall Resort State Park is celebrating the opening of 20 luxury cottages in a new development on the lakeshore. Private-sector capital and collaboration between public […]

Survey shows increased support for user fees, levies for transportation needs

Americans are more likely to be open to innovative financing tools to pay for the nation’s crumbling infrastructure than many previously had thought. A recent national survey, Transportation Mobility 2016, conducted by HNTB Corp. and released today, shows that 65 percent of those surveyed would support user fees such as levies on vehicle miles traveled or mileage-based fees to address the country’s deteriorating transportation infrastructure.

Telehealth changes how doctors treat rural patients

Telehealth is changing how doctors treat patients, especially in rural communities. Technology that delivers health care services and information allows patients to receive services from specialists while avoiding long-distance, time-consuming travel and some stress. Since about 16 percent of Americans live in rural regions and only about 11 percent of the country’s physicians practice there, […]

One more educational issue we must confront!

Image of the State of Our Schools report

A recent State of Our Schools report, co-produced by three education groups, brought attention to the rampant underinvestment in the nation’s education infrastructure. Shockingly, the report concludes that the U.S. is spending $46 billion less than what is required for safe and healthy facilities. Allocations of $38 billion for construction and $8 billion for school […]

Counties lead the way with collaboration

In election years, especially this one, it’s easy to focus only on national politics. The media could easily lead us to believe that everything important is happening nationally. But, that is definitely not true! In fact, it appears that more good things are happening at the local levels of government. Counties have particularly been interesting […]

Energy struggle that calls for ongoing efforts from the masses

World leaders, meeting in Paris last December, signed a historic accord related to carbon emissions and global warming. The agreement, signed by 195 nations, should result in significant strides being made in the battle to combat climate change. But, in spite of these efforts, global temperatures are expected to rise 3.6 degrees over the next […]

How do we fund water safety and when do we start?

Lead water lines constitute a national problem. What can be done?

water infrastructure

The nation’s water infrastructure has taken another hit – and it will be a costly one. Just one day after U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials put state drinking water systems on notice that the agency was about to step up its enforcement of lead contamination rules for drinking water, a price tag was attached […]