• A Third Way for Public Pensions: Adjustable Pension Plans
• BY: Penelope Lemov   |   May 16, 2013
• Defined-benefit plans put all the risk on states and localities; defined-contribution plans put it all on employees. Now there's a new approach to risk sharing.
• 4 Comments

• How Weak is the GOP in the Bluest States?
• BY: Louis Jacobson   |   May 16, 2013
• Just about as weak as Democrats are in the reddest states.

• Areas with Most Commuters Reap Benefits and Costs
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   May 16, 2013
• Many of the nation’s urban areas see their populations jump during the day with an influx of workers, requiring additional public services. View which counties have the most out-of-town commuters.
• 1 Comments

• The Tricky Promise of Less Government
• BY: John R. Bartle   |   May 16, 2013
• Merging jurisdictions to reduce costs seems like a good idea, but it's fraught with difficulty. The real potential for efficiency lies in sharing services.
• 1 Comments

• How Tennessee Plans to Solve Its IT Problems
• BY: Heather Kerrigan   |   May 15, 2013
• In an effort to keep employees and their skills up to date, the Volunteer State is urging 1,600 IT workers to reapply for their jobs.
• 8 Comments

• Illinois' Public-Pension Dilemma
• BY: Charles Chieppo   |   May 15, 2013
• State lawmakers moving to fix the nation's worst-funded pension system have a choice: a plan that saves a lot of money or one that might survive a court challenge.
• 11 Comments

• Bike Lane Battles Heat Up
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   May 15, 2013
• Cities like San Francisco and Chicago are running into resistance from drivers as they try to meet demand for more bike lanes.
• 4 Comments

• Will Kindergartener Bank Accounts Catch On?
• BY: J.B. Wogan   |   May 15, 2013
• San Francisco was the first city to create college savings accounts for every kindergartener in public school. Now other jurisdictions are contemplating a similar program.
• 7 Comments

• ICMA Brownfields Conference in Atlanta
• BY: ICMA   |   Atlanta, GA   |   May 15, 2013
• The National Brownfields Conference is the largest event in the nation that focuses on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment. As defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a brownfield is a property that has a presence, or potential presence, of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants, thus creating complications during its expansion, redevelopment, or reuse. EPA's Brownfields Program is designed to empower states, communities, and other stakeholders in economic redevelopment to work together in a timely manner to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse these properties.
  
  

• Public Management and the Challenge of the Last Mile
• BY: Feather O'Connor Houstoun   |   May 15, 2013
• Sometimes even the best program design and execution fail to get a government service to a recipient who needs it. There are ways to overcome those final hurdles.
• 1 Comments

• Blunting the Politics of Public Assistance
• BY: Jonathan Walters   |   May 14, 2013
• An initiative in six states seeks to stabilize the health and well-being of low-income families.

• Florida Teacher Lawsuit Could Spread to Other States
• BY: Dylan Scott   |   May 14, 2013
• The lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state's new teacher evaluation system was touted as the first of its kind, but it's unlikely to be the last.
• 6 Comments

• NAST: National Association of State Treasurers’ Treasury Management Training Symposium
• BY: NAST   |   Pittsburgh, PA   |   May 14, 2013
• One of the best investments you can make this year is to attend the NAST Treasury Management Symposium, where you will learn the best practices for managing public finance programs.
  
  Presented in a series of multiple issue tracks, these in-depth educational workshops will provide you with the tools, resources, experiences and contacts you need to move your agency forward in spite of current and future challenges.
  
  The existing economic climate has brought with it a renewed focus on capacity building. Now, more than ever, state treasurers, treasury staff and program administrators must continually search for ways to strengthen their position, enhance their leadership traits, and boost their efficiency. Gather with other public finance professionals to grapple with the current trends and learn firsthand what other states are doing to stay ahead of the curve.
  
  Whether you are new to the job or a veteran, manage a mega-budget or survive on a shoestring, the Treasury Management Symposium’s comprehensive education lets you customize your curriculum to fit your specific information needs. This meeting offers an excellent opportunity for you to step away from the routine to learn fresh approaches and new strategies to improve public finance programs.

• Which States Saw Voter Turnout Jump, Decline Most Last Year?
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   May 13, 2013
• Thirty-eight states saw voter turnout drop last year, driven in large part by young adults and non-Hispanic whites heading to the polls at lower rates.
• 7 Comments

• APWA: American Public Works Association Sustainability Conference
• BY: Kelly McEldrew   |   San Diego, CA   |   May 13, 2013
• As a public works professional, YOU are vital to the overall well-being of your community. Your day-to-day choices influence energy use, air and watershed quality, ecosystem and human health, climate impacts, civic life, and local prosperity. Count yourself among the influential public works and sustainable infrastructure leaders who will join together to share solutions and strategize for the future. This is your chance to gather together and participate in a deep dialogue about public works’ role in creating sustainable communities.