Why could there be a strike at ports next month?
Major ports on the East Coast and the Gulf Coast face a strike after contract negotiations broke down between port operators and the labor unions on issues of overtime rules and container royalties. With the current contract set to expire Sept. 30, the union representing dock workers at the Port of New York and New Jersey — the largest on the East Coast — has authorized a strike if a deal cannot be reached. Retailers, who would be slammed as they are shipping goods right before the holiday shopping season, are making contingency plans, including sending cargo to the West Coast, which would not be affected by a strike.
Why can’t you carry a negative balance on Metro’s SmarTrip anymore?
Beginning this month, Metro riders must keep a minimum of $1.20 on their SmarTrip cards to use the system. Seniors and disabled riders have a 35-cent minimum. Previously, riders could enter through the faregates even if they had no money on their plastic farecards. Metro said it is changing the policy so plastic farecards are consistent with paper ones. Also, customers now can get a $3 rebate if they buy a $5 SmarTrip card when they register it online, meaning the cards effectively cost $2.
How many governments are there in the U.S.?
Not including the 50 state governments, there are 89,004 local governments in the United States, according to the latest count from the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s down slightly from 89,476 in 2007. The list includes 3,031 counties (down by two), 19,522 municipalities (up by 30), 16,364 townships (down by 155), 37,203 special districts (down by 178) and 12,884 independent school districts (down by 167).
