Ben Unger

I write about local government, institutional design, and the practical limits of state capacity—often through hands-on projects.

I’m currently building NY Benchmark, a provenance-first database that turns decades of local government financial reports into comparable, auditable metrics for government officials, journalists, researchers, and citizens. The project focuses on where transparency infrastructure exists—and what becomes visible once data can actually be compared.

Alongside that work, I write historically grounded and policy-focused essays on municipal governance, administrative design, and reform efforts that succeed (or fail) in practice.

If you’re interested in how governments actually work—beyond headlines and theory—you’ll find the most relevant material here.