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

• Outsmarting the Social Services Fraudster
• Learn how IBM InfoSphere Identity Insight helps social services organizations reduce time and labor for caseload management, comply with new regulations fast and cost-efficiently and identify fraudulent behavior rapidly to stop it before it occurs.
• A Safer Public Through Advanced Analytics
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• Accelerating Economic Growth and Vitality