FEATURES

• The New Black South
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• After nearly a century of moving north, African-Americans are reshaping cities and suburbs in the South.

• Public Universities Reach a Tipping Point
• By: Peter Harkness
• Severe funding cuts and the record-high numbers of people going to college are forcing state university systems to make tough decisions about financial aid, curriculums, research and more.

• Can Universal Health Care Work Without a Mandate?
• By: John Buntin
• President Barack Obama and the 26 states trying to overturn his federal health reform law say no, but some states have some real-world experience that could answer that question.

• Walmart Makes Its Urban Debut
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• In the past, cities have resisted big-box stores. But now, government leaders from New York to New Orleans are actively courting places like Walmart and Home Depot to move in.

• Parklets: The Next Big Tiny Idea in Urban Planning
• By: Zach Patton
• Cities from coast to coast are giving up parking spaces (and the revenue that comes from them) to create green public places for people to sit.

POLITICS + POLICY

• New Indiana Law Gives Residents Right to Resist Police
• By: Caroline Cournoyer

• Debit Cards Replace Paper Tax Refunds in Some States
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• At least six states this year issued their tax refunds on debit cards, in a move they say will save money for both the taxpayer and the government.

• Judge Tosses Controversial Florida Election Law
• By: Ryan Holeywell

• California’s Gavin Newsom Gets His Own TV Show
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom is likely the only public official who’s currently hosting a national television program while still in office.

• Texas School District Pays $20M for iPads
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• The McAllen school district is within the nation’s poorest metro area, and the investment in tablet computers has come at a time of reduced education spending overall.

• Legislative Organization Brings Political Parties Together
• By: Paul W. Taylor
• The State Legislative Leaders Foundation strives to provide “serious learning experiences” for its core constituency of about 500 legislative officials -- regardless of what party they belong to.

• States Have 20th-Century Revenue Systems
• By: Donald F. Kettl
• States can no longer rely on federal bailouts or taxes. For the latest on state revenues, click here.

• Another REAL ID Deadline Bites the Dust
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• Several federal deadlines to overhaul states’ driver's licenses systems have come and gone in the past seven years. As another one approaches, should states be concerned about complying?

• On-Site Health Centers Save Local Governments Money
• By: David Levine
• Several Florida cities have on-site clinics that are free for public employees and result in fewer long-term health problems and lower costs for everyone.

• The Price of Greening Stormwater
• By: Tom Arrandale
• Philadelphia officials hope the city’s redesigned stormwater fees will lead to imaginative private financing that will help rehabilitate watersheds.

• America Must Invest in Bigger and Better Infrastructure Projects
• By: Alex Marshall
• Have we lost our capacity to think big? Asia and Western Europe are building a series of infrastructure mega-projects that dwarf our efforts.

• With Americans Driving Less, What Will Happen to the Parking Lot?
• By: Tod Newcombe
• Cities are finding creative uses for these environmentally unfriendly spaces.

PROBLEM SOLVER

• Governments Discover Need for Mental Health First Aid
• By: Caroline Cournoyer
• Mental disorders are more common than heart disease and cancer combined -- one reason states and localities are teaching their employees how to recognize the signs of mental health problems and how to help.

• Performance Measurement Improves the Quality of Health Care
• By: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
• Quality measures are transforming everything from billing practices to patient behavior.

• Illinois Helps Fund New Chicago Tech Center for Startups
• By: Brian Peteritas
• By creating a collaborative community of entrepreneurs in Chicago's Merchandise Mart, the state of Illinois aims to increase innovation and job-growth in the region.

• Michigan Businesses to Sell Exports on Chinese E-Commerce Site
• By: Brian Peteritas
• The Michigan Economic Development Corporation and an export services company want to help the state's businesses with unique opportunity to access on one of China's e-commerce sites.

• Michigan Shows What Can Be Achieved if CIOs and Budget Directors Get Along
• By: Steve Towns
• In too many instances, they aren’t on the same page -- or even speaking the same language.

• Insolvency, Bankruptcy and Doublespeak
• By: Girard Miller
• Don't plead poverty while soft-selling your bonds.

• How Philly’s Streets Commissioner Saves the Green
• By: Daniel Lippman
• Carlton Williams has made Philadelphia’s streets cleaner while reducing the frequency of collection and the cost of garbage pickup. How did he do it?

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