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Article Special to Cal Cities Paul Sanftner

Opinion: Let’s ask YouTube to create an emergency alert system button before the next crisis hits

“One of the most powerful platforms in the digital age — YouTube — lacks a basic, critical feature: an emergency alert system for local governments,” writes Paul Sanftner, a public information officer for the city of San Leandro. “The absence of this feature is a serious gap in our nation’s emergency communication infrastructure.” 

Article Special to Cal Cities By Shebreh Kalantari-Johnson and Matt Huffaker

Opinion: We fought Big Soda and won. Here’s how

In May, Santa Cruz became the first California city to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage tax since the state preempted new local grocery taxes in 2018. Those funds will go back to local public health programs and city services.

Article Features By Jackie Krentzman

Your city is about to lose millions in federal funding. Now what?

In recent months, the federal government has slashed funding to cities and states, warning that almost every federal funding stream is under review. While cities can’t stop these cuts completely, they can take steps to mitigate them.

Article Solutions for Cities By Briana Lewis

These California cities are turning infrastructure upgrades into community wins

Bundling traditional energy projects with related infrastructure and community initiatives can shorten the payback on projects and capture ones that would have been otherwise unfunded or deferred.