FEATURES

• Can Green Technology Propel Economic Development?
• By: Chad Vander Veen

• With states looking to kick-start their economic engines, green technology is increasingly viewed as the piston helping drive it.

• Keeping Government Green
• By: Zach Patton

• While no longer a top priority, green technology is still a winning strategy.

• The Competition for Jobs
• By: Blake Harris

• Washington State's battle to save its aviation industry mirrors the larger competition among states to attract and keep jobs.

• Targeting Public-Sector Unions
• By: John Buntin

• Critics say it's time for cities and states to get tough with public-sector unions. They may be right - for all the wrong reasons.

• Local Governments Face Census Challenge
• By: Josh Goodman

• Localities want an accurate census count, but it's going to cost them money to make that happen.

DEPARTMENTS

• Shrinking State Government
• By: Paul W. Taylor
• Across the nation, governors are slashing and consolidating boards, commissions and agencies as part of a larger effort at reforming government.

POLITICS+ POLICY

• The Price of Moderate Politics
• By: Josh Goodman

• It hasn't been easy for Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter to govern from the center, especially in a moderate state.

• Growing Alaska's Legislature
• By: Josh Goodman

• As populations shift away from rural counties, power too, will shift away from rural lawmakers.

• Philadelphians Withhold Billions in Taxes
• By: Josh Goodman

• To recover the more than $1 billion in unpaid taxes, the city is taking it directly out of paychecks.

• The Price of Popularity
• By: Josh Goodman

• Why can't good governors get elected to the U.S. Senate?

• States, Localities Face a 'Lost Decade'
• By: Peter Harkness
• Economic recovery will be slow, subduing any ambitions state and local governments may harbor to play a role in shaping national policy.

• Agriculturists Vs. Animal Advocates
• By: Tina Trenkner

• Could agriculture be more proactive on farm animal welfare than animal advocates?

• New Smog Rules Target Rural Counties
• By: Elizabeth Daigneau

• Proposed EPA rules may throw rural counties into Clean Air Act violation overnight.

• Are Wind Farms a Health Risk?
• By: Jessica Mulholland

• A study of families living near wind farms found nature's energy might not be so healthy.

• Do Environmental Regulations Hurt the Economy?
• By: William Fulton
• Environmental regulations have transformed California's economy but it's not always clear if the result was positive.

• Free Light Rail Rides
• By: Tod Newcombe
• Portland, Ore., struggles to keep fare-free service alive.

PROBLEM SOLVER

• Using Performance to Deliver Promises
• By: Jonathan Walters

• Can the feds and states find an effective way to achieve the results everyone wants to see?

• New Revenue, New Concerns
• By: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
• Contingency fee contracts are becoming hot, but have their limits.

• Michigan and the Feds Try Sharing Cyber-Security Tools
• By: Steve Towns
• The experiment could help states cut the cost of protecting sensitive government information.

• Fairy Tale Pension Projections
• By: John E. Petersen
• Assumptions about return rates and risky investments foreshadow big problems.

• Boston's Hip, New Chief of Staff
• By: John Buntin

• Can Mitchell Weiss spice up Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's old-school approach?

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