Should Denver protect library and recreation center hours from further budget cuts?
Denver libraries and rec centers face budget pressure. Should hours be protected from cuts, or judged against streets and safety? See both sides.
Justice · Freedom · Knowledge
Your Voice in Local Government
Nearly every decision that shapes your street — housing, transit, policing, parks, property taxes — is made at a public meeting most people never hear about. JFK Debate shows you the debate, the calendar and the people who vote, so you can weigh in before the decision, not after it.
24Structured debates
100Cities in the directory
25+Guides & analysis
100%Sources required
How a debate works here
Not a comment thread. Every debate follows the same structure, so a reader can see the strongest case on each side in two minutes — and see exactly which claims are backed by evidence.
Proposition
One clear question a specific body can actually decide: a council vote, a zoning change, a budget line, a ballot measure.
Context
A neutral background of up to 500 words: what is being proposed, by whom, on what timeline, and what the law allows.
Arguments & evidence
Arguments for and against, each with sources. Evidence is a required field, and verified claims carry a badge.
Vote & outcome
Residents record where they stand. When the body decides, the outcome is added to the debate — including the vote count.
Hot topics
See all debates
Debates open right now
Should Denver close its budget gap with service cuts instead of new revenue?
Denver cut departments and staff to close a $200 million gap. Should the city keep cutting, or ask voters for new revenue? Read both arguments.
Should Philadelphia expand automated speed cameras to more streets?
Philadelphia speed cameras cut violations sharply on Roosevelt Boulevard. Should the city add more? Compare safety results with fairness objections.
Should Dallas fully fund the police staffing mandate in Proposition U?
Dallas voters mandated 4,000 officers in Proposition U and the city is now in court. Should the budget fully fund it? Read both sides of the fight.
Should Houston ISD ask voters to approve a new school construction bond?
Houston ISD voters rejected a $4.4 billion bond in 2024. Should the district try again now, or wait for an elected board? Read both sides.
Should Los Angeles keep Olympic bus-only lanes permanently after the 2028 Games?
Olympic bus lanes could outlast the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Compare faster buses and cheap capacity against curb access and enforcement costs.
Town hall
Open the town hall calendar
Know when your council meets
Most councils meet on a fixed schedule and post the agenda a few days ahead — that agenda is the last moment to influence a decision. We track the regular schedule and the official agenda link for the largest US cities, and point you to the sign-up deadline for public comment.
| City | Regular meeting schedule | Agenda |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | Stated Meetings roughly every two weeks (once a month in summer), Council Chamber, City Hall | Official |
| Los Angeles, CA | Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:00 a.m., John Ferraro Council Chamber, Room 340, City Hall | Official |
| Chicago, IL | Typically monthly, 10:00 a.m., Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St. | Official |
| Houston, TX | Tuesdays 1:30 p.m. (public session 2:00 p.m.) and Wednesdays 9:00 a.m., City Hall, 901 Bagby, 2nd Floor | Official |
| Phoenix, AZ | Generally Wednesdays, 2:30 p.m., City Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson St. | Official |
| Philadelphia, PA | Thursdays, 10:00 a.m., Room 400, City Hall | Official |
| San Antonio, TX | A Session Thursdays 9:00 a.m. and B Session Wednesdays 2:00 p.m., Municipal Plaza Building, 114 W. Commerce St. | Official |
| San Diego, CA | Typically Mondays 2:00 p.m. and Tuesdays 10:00 a.m., Council Chambers, 202 C St., 12th Floor | Official |
| Dallas, TX | Wednesdays, 9:00 a.m., Council Chambers, 6th Floor, City Hall, 1500 Marilla St. | Official |
Initiatives
From a petition to an official response
Write the ask, gather verified signatures, deliver it to the body that can act, and track the answer in public. Every initiative shows where it is in the pipeline.
Install daylighting and high-visibility crosswalks on every school route
An example neighborhood petition asking the city to fund daylighted intersections and high-visibility crosswalks within a quarter mile of every public school.
Publish plain-language summaries of every council agenda item
An example transparency petition asking for a one-paragraph plain-language summary and a stated fiscal impact for each item on the council agenda.
Keep cooling centers open evenings and weekends during heat emergencies
An example public-health petition asking the city to extend cooling center hours into evenings and weekends whenever an excessive heat warning is in effect.
Learn
All articles
Guides and analysis
News & Analysis
Local Ballot Measures to Watch Before the November 2026 Election
A non-partisan guide to confirmed local ballot measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot: LA charter reform, Bay Area transit taxes, St. Paul tenant rights.
News & Analysis
City and County Budget Pressures Heading Into Fiscal Year 2027
As of September 2026, cities from Portland to Chicago are closing large budget gaps for fiscal year 2027. The confirmed numbers, the cuts and what to do.
Local Issue Deep Dives
Extreme Heat and Cities: Heat Plans, Shade, Cool Roofs and Equity
How cities plan for extreme heat: heat action plans, chief heat officers, cooling centers, tree canopy and cool roofs, what works and who benefits.
News & Analysis
Federal Funding Changes in 2026: What They Mean for US Cities
A non-partisan look at 2026 federal funding changes hitting cities: the OMB grant rule rewrite, appropriations cuts and sanctuary-city litigation.
Success Stories
How Boston Voters Changed Who Controls the City Budget with Question 1
Boston's 2021 Question 1 gave the City Council power to amend the mayor's budget and created an Office of Participatory Budgeting. Here is what changed.
Local Issue Deep Dives
Civilian Police Oversight Boards: Models, Powers and Evidence
How civilian police oversight works: review boards, auditors and investigative agencies, city examples, the powers that matter, and arguments on both sides.
Bring the debate to your city
Open a debate, invite your neighbors and send the result to the people who vote on it. Free for residents, always.