Features

• Dealing With Term-Limited Legislators
• By: Russell Nichols
• States with term-limited legislators are seeking ways to counteract the drawbacks of high turnover.

• 8 Issues to Watch in 2011
• By: Elizabeth Daigneau, Tod Newcombe, Zach Patton
• These topics will capture the attention of state legislators in 2011.

• Firefighters Feel the Squeeze of Shrinking Budgets
• By: Jonathan Walters
• In small and large cities alike, firefighters have gone from heroes to budget bait.

• 4 Ways to Rethink the Firefighting Game
• By: Jonathan Walters
• Former president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Jeff Johnson shares his thoughts on the firefighting game.

• The Struggle to Implement Offshore Wind Farms
• By: Linda Baker
• Offshore wind farms are on the cusp of becoming a serious source of energy for a host of states -- if they can only get those turbines in the water.

• Local Coders Help Improve Government Functions
• By: Tina Trenkner
• There’s a new breed of software developer helping local government.

• Coding Competitions From Around the Globe
• By: Andy Kim
• Developers all around the world are creating innovative apps to help citizens utilize public information.

Departments

• New York City's Ailment-Curing Prescription
• By: Paul W. Taylor
• America’s largest city shares lessons in urban renewal.

Politics + Policy

• Christie's Hands-On Approach With Local Government
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is playing an extremely active role in local government affairs.

• The Increasing Opposition to the New Health-Care Law
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• Attorneys general in several states are seeking to overturn the federal health-care law.

• Voters to Decide Fate of Earnings Tax
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• Two Missouri cities may soon be facing a huge drop in tax collections.

• An Early Look at the Governors
• By: Louis Jacobson
• A sneak peek at the 2011 and 2012 gubernatorial campaign landscape.

• The Nation's Outlook on Trains
• By: Peter Harkness
• Bullet trains may be sidetracked, but not commuter rail.

• Animal Gas Chambers Draw Fire
• By: Andy Kim
• Some shelters still regularly euthanize their animals by placing them in gas chambers -- a method that’s increasingly coming under attack in several states.

• Banning the Happy Meal
• By: Jessica Mulholland
• Governments take child nutrition into their own hands.

• Geothermal: The Other Alternative Energy Source
• By: Elizabeth Daigneau
• Geothermal energy isn’t perfect. But in Colorado, its list of drawbacks is very short.

• Young Professionals Return Home, and Stay
• By: William Fulton
• Cities are launching "boomerang" efforts to bring their young professionals back home.

• Philadelphia's Open-Door Immigrant Policy
• By: Tod Newcombe
• Immigrant populations remain a key source of economic development for inner cities.

Problem Solver

• A Paradigm Shift on First-Time Drunk Drivers
• By: Heather Kerrigan
• Illinois is among a handful of states expanding their in-vehicle alcohol-sensor laws to include first-time DUI offenders.

• Overseeing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
• By: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
• As the feds help states and cities, a new relationship may be developing.

• Understanding Green Technology's Real-World Implications
• By: Steve Towns
• The Urban Living Lab will show real-world implications of energy-efficient technology.

• The Effect of Federal Budget Cuts on States and Localities
• By: John E. Petersen
• When the federal government starts reducing its deficit, watch out below!

• Tackling Health Issues in NYC and Baltimore
• By: Tina Trenkner
• Dr. Oxiris Barbot is looking to continue her NYC success in Baltimore as the city's new health commissioner.

Training Opportunities

• Accelerating Economic Growth and Vitality
• This white paper describes how developing competencies in five key area can help public safety agencies more effectively do their jobs in the face of extremely important and difficult sets of issues.
• Crime Prediction and Prevention


• FutureStructure: A New Framework