Features

• Colorado Springs' Do-It-Yourself Government
• By: Zach Patton
• The citizens of Colorado Springs must decide how much they want from their government, and how much they're willing to pay for it.

• Merging IT Systems Causes Problems for States and Localities
• By: Tod Newcombe
• Why are states and localities having so much trouble merging their IT systems?

• Beating Poverty With Cash Incentives
• By: Jonathan Walters
• A new way to help the poor become self-sufficient raises hackles at both ends of the political spectrum -- and questions about effectiveness.

• From Facebook to Government: Can Millennials Increase Government Popularity?
• By: John Della Volpe
• Millennials made Facebook and texting popular. Can they do the same with government?

• Community Colleges Struggle to Keep Up With Demands
• By:
• Community colleges face a new challenge today -- meeting the overwhelming demand for their services.

Departments

• Florida Unemployment Strategy Focuses on Getting Back to Work
• By: Paul W. Taylor
• The Sunshine State's new workforce strategy breaks with the past.

Politics + Policy

• Governor Parkinson Pins Successes on Lame Duck Status
• By: Josh Goodman
• Kansas' governor has taken the politics out of lawmaking -- and has had great success so far.

• State Estate Taxes at the Mercy of Congress
• By: Josh Goodman
• What is the future of the 'death tax'?

• Building Demolition a Turning Point in Hartford
• By: Josh Goodman
• One of the first orders of business for the new Mayor Pedro Segarra: getting rid of the 'Butt Ugly' building.

• Colorado Collects Popular Votes by Mail
• By: Josh Goodman
• Once open to choices, Colorado appears headed toward all-mail balloting.

• State and Federal Immigration Policy Challenges Republicans and Democrats
• By: Peter Harkness
• The politics of immigration policy are tricky for both parties.

• New York Illegal Sublet Law Affects Vacation Rentals
• By: Tina Trenkner
• A clarification in New York's housing laws targets illegal hotel operators -- and apartment owners.

• NYC Handles the Rise of Bedbugs
• By: Jessica Mulholland
• Bedbugs are biting again in a major outbreak, forcing local officials to scramble for solutions.

• Philly's Proposed Green Stormwater Plan
• By: Feather O'Connor Houstoun
• A plan in Philadelphia to build a greener, more sustainable stormwater system may well blast green infrastructure into the mainstream.

• Measuring Economic Development Without Depending on Jobs
• By: William Fulton
• Can you have economic development without job growth?

• Dallas Covers Highway with Greenery
• By: Tod Newcombe
• Cities are increasingly decking highways with piles of greenery and new development.

Problem Solver

• Clean Energy Programs Pit Advocates Against Mortgage Lenders
• By: Russell Nichols
• Clean energy advocates battle mortgage lenders over the validation of the ever-popular PACE programs.

• Governments Need to Get to Know Their Vendors
• By: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
• Before contracting out a government function, a jurisdiction must have solid information about a firm's performance.

• The Costs and Liabilities of Using Old Computers
• By: Steve Towns
• States must create better ways of modernizing important computer systems before they become a liability.

• Could Credit Default Swaps Undermine the Fiscal Stability of Municipal Bonds?
• By: John E. Petersen
• Could credit default swaps undermine the fiscal stability of state and local bond issuers?

• Mayor Villaraigosa’s Director of New Media Tweets Around L.A.
• By: John Buntin
• Adam Cooper helps Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa navigate the world of new media.