TABLE of CONTENTS September 2011
Cover StoryWhat Experts Think of Five Medicaid-Savings Strategies
BY John Buntin
States are testing several strategies in an effort to reduce Medicaid costs. Experts assess those approaches.
FEATURES
The Price of Medical Illiteracy
Not understanding what doctors say is costly for patients' health and for health care itself.
Curiosity's Mars Landing Highlights State Space Race
The successful landing of NASA’s rover Curiosity on the surface of Mars is a reminder that America’s space exploration program is in a state of transition.
The Logging Industry and Conservationists Partner to Restore Forests
After decades of fighting, forestry stakeholders have a reconciliation of sorts.
POLITICS + POLICY
Public Workforce
Were Connecticut Workers Duped?
State union leaders blamed a conservative organization for intentionally spreading misinformation about a labor agreement -- one that was voted down by workers.
Politics
Critics Try to Knock Down Eisenhower Memorial Before It Goes Up
The design for the 34th president’s monument is too trendy and cold, critics say.
Housing
Counties Sue Fannie and Freddie for Back Taxes
Michigan municipalities want to clear up the confusion over the two mortgage giants’ status. Are they government agencies or private companies?
Dispatch
The Nasty, Ineffective World of Politics
Politically-involved high school students could teach legislators a thing or two about compromise.
Potomac Chronicle
Severe Budget Cuts Ahead
With stimulus funding gone, a misinformed citizenry is unprepared for the funding cuts on the horizon.
Citizens & Performance
Municipalities Challenge Census Numbers
Dozens of cities and counties insist that not all their residents were counted. They may be fighting a losing battle.
Health & Human Services
State Health IT Coordinators Brace for Health-Care Reform
Overhauling how the health-care industry uses technology is already a difficult job. Meeting the new requirements under the health reform act is an even greater challenge for states.
Energy & Environment
Mini Nukes Could Help Meet Electricity Demands
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a public utility in the Southeast, is testing small nuclear reactors as a source for cheaper, cleaner energy.
Economic Engines
Jobs Aren’t Enough
Economic development’s key measure of success is not the only approach to turning lagging economies into prosperous communities.
Urban Notebook
Houston’s Green Revolution
America’s oil capital embraces the sustainability movement.
PROBLEM SOLVER
Health & Human Services
How A County Reduces Homeless and Jail Populations
Unlike most shelters, this one offers a place for people with mental illness and substance use problems to avoid jail and better their situations.
Smart Management
Small Energy-Efficiency Investments Add Up
States and cities are finding that even the simplest tasks, like switching to LED streetlight bulbs, can result in significant savings.
Tech Talk
Overcoming the Fear of Facebook
Governments must interact using both traditional websites and social media.
Public Money
States and Localities Can’t Afford Big Government Projects
The fiscal situation will likely make huge capital projects like the space shuttle program and Boston’s Big Dig a thing of the past.
Homeland Security & Disasters
Florida’s Unlikely Emergency Management Director
Many are watching to see how former Wal-Mart executive Bryan Koon will adapt his private-sector knowledge to aiding the Sunshine State.
