Mike Maciag

Recent Articles

• Average Tax Refunds: Connecticut, Nevada and Texas are Highest
• Feb 21, 2013
• Rural states tend to have lower federal tax refunds.

• Survey Signals Possible Public-Sector Hiring Rebound
• Feb 13, 2013
• State and local governments may start to hire, but employment remains below pre-recession levels.

• Which Metro Areas Have the Most Graduate Degrees?
• Feb 10, 2013
• More Americans are earning graduate degrees. See how your area compares to others.

• Group Grades Online Transparency for States, Local Governments
• Feb 6, 2013
• See how well state and local governments sites promote transparency.

• State, Local Government Employment Remains Steady
• Feb 1, 2013
• View monthly changes in state and local government employment.

• States Experience Disparity in Police Fatality Rates as Agencies Target Safety
• Jan 31, 2013
• An analysis shows fatality rates vary by state, with most deaths in the South.
• 3 Comments

• Mexico City's Recycling Incentive: More Food
• Jan 31, 2013
• Mexico City has a massive trash problem that's partially caused by citizens' resistance to recycle. To encourage them to do so, the city gives residents food vouchers in exchange for their recyclable waste.
• 1 Comments

• Report Identifies Top Job-Poaching States
• Jan 31, 2013
• Many states engage in bidding wars to pull companies into their region. A new report examines recent high-profile tax incentive deals.
• 2 Comments

• States, Local Governments Prepare for Aging Population
• Jan 30, 2013
• A panel discusses how governments can prepare for the new wave of retirees.
• 2 Comments

• How Do U.S. Health Costs Compare to Other Countries?
• Jan 27, 2013
• View an interactive map with health costs for each country, and read our first-ever International Issue online Feb. 1.
• 2 Comments

• Report Grades Cities’ Spending Transparency Websites
• Jan 25, 2013
• A new report examines 30 cities' online transparency efforts. View scores for each local government.

• How Rare Are Municipal Bankruptcies?
• Jan 24, 2013
• Local governments rarely opt to file for bankruptcy. View totals and bankruptcy laws for each state.

• Gun Background Checks Skyrocket in Nearly All States
• Jan 11, 2013
• FBI Background checks for firearms jumped last month as calls for gun control intensified. View totals for each state.
• 8 Comments

• How Well is Power Spread Across Metro Areas?
• Jan 8, 2013
• An index ranks metro areas by how well authority is consolidated or shared among municipalities.

• Governments Resisting the Urge to Merge
• Dec 28, 2012
• Despite strained finances, there’s been no significant shift toward consolidation in recent years.