A new report from the Commonwealth Institute took a look at wage rates and cost of living data for Newport News, and recommends allowing collective bargaining for public employees. From the introduction:

Newport News is a diverse community filled with rich and unique history. The city is working to transform into a community where people can thrive, but city officials cannot do it alone. Public employees are essential to providing the services and resources necessary for the city to function, and they play an integral role in the city achieving its goals. Allowing collective bargaining for city employees will provide them an opportunity to advocate for improving public services and building a more equitable community. In the end, that benefits every one of us.