The Decade Since Sept. 11

Governing, Government Technology and Emergency Management have joined together to provide complementary articles on 9/11's impact on states and localities.

Policing in the Post-9/11 Era Governing In America’s largest Arab community, police are pioneering a new way to fight terrorism by strengthening neighborhood ties. National Need for a New Network Government Technology Ten years after 9/11, plans to build a national communications network for public safety agencies -- a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission -- remain on the drawing board. Homeland Spending Uncertainty Emergency Management The United States spent an estimated $635.9 billion spent on homeland security in the decade since 9/11, but what is the return on that investment?

 

FEATURES

• What 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.

• The Price of Medical Illiteracy
• By: Jonathan Walters
• Not understanding what doctors say is costly for patients' health and for health care itself.

• Curiosity's Mars Landing Highlights State Space Race
• By: Russell Nichols
• 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
• By: Linda Baker
• After decades of fighting, forestry stakeholders have a reconciliation of sorts.

POLITICS + POLICY

• Were Connecticut Workers Duped?
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• State union leaders blamed a conservative organization for intentionally spreading misinformation about a labor agreement -- one that was voted down by workers.

• Critics Try to Knock Down Eisenhower Memorial Before It Goes Up
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• The design for the 34th president’s monument is too trendy and cold, critics say.

• Counties Sue Fannie and Freddie for Back Taxes
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• Michigan municipalities want to clear up the confusion over the two mortgage giants’ status. Are they government agencies or private companies?

• The Nasty, Ineffective World of Politics
• By: Paul W. Taylor
• Politically-involved high school students could teach legislators a thing or two about compromise.

• Severe Budget Cuts Ahead
• By: Peter Harkness
• With stimulus funding gone, a misinformed citizenry is unprepared for the funding cuts on the horizon.

• Municipalities Challenge Census Numbers
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• Dozens of cities and counties insist that not all their residents were counted. They may be fighting a losing battle.

• State Health IT Coordinators Brace for Health-Care Reform
• By: David Levine
• 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.

• Mini Nukes Could Help Meet Electricity Demands
• By: Elizabeth Daigneau
• The Tennessee Valley Authority, a public utility in the Southeast, is testing small nuclear reactors as a source for cheaper, cleaner energy.

• Jobs Aren’t Enough
• By: William Fulton
• Economic development’s key measure of success is not the only approach to turning lagging economies into prosperous communities.

• Houston’s Green Revolution
• By: Tod Newcombe
• America’s oil capital embraces the sustainability movement.

PROBLEM SOLVER

• How A County Reduces Homeless and Jail Populations
• By: Caroline Cournoyer
• Unlike most shelters, this one offers a place for people with mental illness and substance use problems to avoid jail and better their situations.

• Small Energy-Efficiency Investments Add Up
• By: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
• States and cities are finding that even the simplest tasks, like switching to LED streetlight bulbs, can result in significant savings.

• Overcoming the Fear of Facebook
• By: Steve Towns
• Governments must interact using both traditional websites and social media.

• States and Localities Can’t Afford Big Government Projects
• By: John E. Petersen
• The fiscal situation will likely make huge capital projects like the space shuttle program and Boston’s Big Dig a thing of the past.

• Florida’s Unlikely Emergency Management Director
• By: Tina Trenkner
• Many are watching to see how former Wal-Mart executive Bryan Koon will adapt his private-sector knowledge to aiding the Sunshine State.

Training Opportunities

• Accelerating Economic Growth and Vitality
• This white paper describes how developing competencies in five key area can help public safety agencies more effectively do their jobs in the face of extremely important and difficult sets of issues.
• Crime Prediction and Prevention


• FutureStructure: A New Framework