• A New, Sometimes Not-So-Nice Outlook for the Muni Market
• BY: Penelope Lemov   |   June 13, 2013
• Despite some positive developments, it seems the SEC and IRS are cracking down on the municipal bond market.
• 1 Comments

• Teacher Quality and the Lake Wobegon Factor
• BY: Charles Chieppo   |   June 13, 2013
• Teacher education programs have long set a low bar for students seeking to enter the profession. That is finally beginning to change.

• Don't Get Too Excited About State Surpluses
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   June 13, 2013
• A new report forecasts that most states will end the fiscal year in the black. But it may be too early to celebrate.

• Making Obamacare Work in the States
• BY: Robert K. Ross   |   June 13, 2013
• In creating its health-benefit exchange under the Affordable Care Act, California has gotten off to an encouraging start
• 4 Comments

• What Areas Are Growing Oldest the Fastest?
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 13, 2013
• New Census data shows most regions are seeing their age 65 and older population climb. But for some jurisdictions, the growth has been far more pronounced than others. View new demographic data for states and counties.
• 1 Comments

• When Your Government Job Isn't Yours Anymore
• BY: Heather Kerrigan   |   June 12, 2013
• Tennessee is asking its 1,600 IT employees to reapply for their jobs. The state may learn from Colorado and Hillsborough County, Fla., which have both overhauled their workforces in this way.
• 1 Comments

• Do Cities Need a Chief Resilience Officer?
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   June 12, 2013
• The Rockefeller Foundation is awarding $100 million to cities willing to create chief resilience officers to prepare for and recover from disasters, which have increased in frequency and intensity due to climate change.
• 1 Comments

• When Local Governments' Pensions Are Beyond Their Control
• BY: Susan K. Urahn   |   June 12, 2013
• Many cities and counties are tied to state pension systems. That can be a liability, but it also can be an asset.
• 2 Comments

• When Child Services and the Media Work Together
• BY: Jonathan Walters   |   June 11, 2013
• The Colorado Department of Human Services and The Denver Post prove that the relationship between government and media doesn't have to be adversarial.
• 2 Comments

• Metro Areas with the Most Blue-Collar STEM Jobs
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• A new Brookings report finds that there are far more STEM employees in the United States than previously estimated -- and the demand is growing. View maps and data for metro areas.

• The Implication of Long-Term Pay Freezes
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 11, 2013
• Many public employees have waited years for salary increases, and recent surveys indicate pay freezes are continuing to persist. The implications have been far-reaching, from hindering employee retention to hurting morale.
• 24 Comments

• Ohio Officials Battle over Auditing of Economic Development Money
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   June 10, 2013
• When the state auditor tried to subpoena records from a private firm using public money, the governor and legislature moved to stop him.
• 3 Comments

• Private-School Tax Credits: Welfare for the Rich?
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   June 10, 2013
• Wisconsin not only wants to join the more than handful of states that give families tax breaks for sending their kids to private schools, its lawmakers are proposing what would be the most generous tax deduction of them all.
• 19 Comments

• FTA: Annual Meeting in Albuquerque
• BY: FTA   |   Albuquerque, New Mexico   |   June 9, 2013
• The Federation of Tax Administrators Annual Meeting is one-stop shopping for discovering the must-know trends in tax policy and law, for learning how to run operations more efficiently, for tips on how to deliver better services in today's budget-starved environment, and for sharing ideas on improving compliance programs. The event is geared toward senior management state tax administrators and private sector representatives with an interest in the policy, program or technology aspects of state tax administration. If your world is "all state tax, all the time," make plans to be in Albuquerque June 9-12.

• As Feds Make Cuts, Local Government Employment Ticks Up
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   June 7, 2013
• While the federal government began to feel the effects of the sequester, localities have added jobs in recent months.
• 1 Comments