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Local Elected Officials Call Amazon’s Decision a Victory Over Race-to-the-Bottom Development

In response to breaking news that Amazon will not locate its second headquarters in New York City.

Statement: Local Progress Condemns Trump’s State of the Union Remarks

In response to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, Local Progress Director Sarah Johnson issued the following statement.

Introducing the newest Local Progress board members

Our network keeps growing in diversity and strength and in turn so does the Local Progress board.

Statement: New York Local Elected Officials Applaud Passage of Election Reforms

ALBANY, NEW YORK — Today, the New York State Legislature has taken a step forward to modernize

Local elected officials across Texas announce effort to raise wages to a $15 minimum

Local Progress launches Reform/Transform policing toolkit

We hope that this toolkit will aid the courageous work of local elected officials—in close partnership with impacted community members..

Elected Officials From 20 States Join the Call to Abolish ICE

“The experiment that is ICE has failed, and must be ended as soon as possible,” more than 100 officials from 20 states wrote in a statement.

Seattle Scales Back Tax in Face of Amazon’s Revolt, but Tensions Linger

After intense lobbying by local businesses and a bold threat by Amazon to curtail development in its hometown, the Seattle City Council on Monday approved a smaller and more limited tax on big companies than originally envisioned.

50+ Local Elected Officials Stand with Seattle

More than 50 elected officials across the country, including in Amazon HQ2 shortlist cities, signed a letter encouraging ..

Eight Local Progress members featured in The Nation this week!

All across the country, Local Progress members are fighting the dark money takeover of our democracy.

A powerful, inspiring weekend: Recap of the 3rd Local Progress NY convening

This year’s inspiring keynote address was given by national leader and activist Linda Sarsour ..

Local Progress Reacts To Trump’s Infrastructure Plan

Local Progress is a network of progressive local elected officials from around the country united by our shared commitment..

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Local Progress is a movement of local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. We are elected leaders who build power with underrepresented communities and fight to reshape what is possible in our localities all across the country. 

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In The News

At Local Progress, we seek to make the aspirational pragmatic by showing how government can be a tool to create just and equitable outcomes and reshaping peoples’ understanding of governing from an institution to a collective responsibility. Here are some highlights of our media coverage:

A construction worker carrying a large piece of wood in the hot sun with their face and body mostly covered up. (Photo courtesy Ivette Carolina Agudelo-Lopez + Yerba Buena Engineering & Construction, Inc)

Cities Want To Give Worker’s Heat Breaks. States Are Stopping Them.

As the climate heats up, LP's LiJia Gong makes the case that abusive state preemption is prohibiting localities addressing climate change.
Small child receiving medical care reaching out from a bed (Photo by Dzulhaidy Abdul Rahim / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

I’m the Mayor of St. Paul. Here’s How Our City Is Erasing $100 Million in Medical Debt.

More and more local governments are using federal funds to relieve residents’ medical debt. Mayor of Saint Paul Melvin Carter explains why it's a simple, straightforward way to meet our communities’ needs.
Congressman Greg Casar speaks to protesters at the Governor’s Mansion against the Death Star Bill on Sept. 7, 2023. The protest was organized by the Workers Defense Project who want to protect the mandated rest breaks for workers outlined in local Austin ordinance. | Photo received from Kevin Kim (The Daily Texan)

Opinion: One Year Later, Local Leaders Must Be Bold Despite “Death Star” Law

July 1, 2024 marks one year since the City of Houston sued the state of Texas over the Death Star law. San Marcos City Councilmember Alyssa Garza makes the case that now is the time to be bold – to advance policies that uplift the very communities our legislature wants to silence.
social housing in Vienna, Austria

Is this European city a model for Philadelphia’s affordable housing? One Council member thinks so

Philadelphia City Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Kendra Brooks visited Vienna earlier this year with Local Progress to learn about its housing polices.

press Releases

After Grants Pass: organizing to house all our neighbors

In response to the Supreme Court's cruel decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, we will continue to organize for housing for all.

Local Progress Condemns Cruel Supreme Court Decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson

In response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson, Local Progress put out the following statement.

180+ State and Local Elected Officials Urge Congress to Reject the EATS Act

LP and the State Innovation Exchange (SiX) released letters calling on Congress to protect local and state governments ability to create policy that is responsive to the issues their own communities face in the agricultural industry. 

Local Leaders Denounce Senate Deal That Would Gut Asylum

In response to the Senate’s proposed border deal that would gut asylum in exchange for foreign military spending, Local Progress released this statement.

📬 LP Network Download | Traffic safety, ceasefire, history in Minnesota, & more! | January 2024

Here’s a look at some of what’s happening across the Local Progress network this month.