Special in this issue: Cost of Government Playbook

How can we afford the government we need? This playbook gives you the key themes, best practices, and leading trends that emerged at the GOVERNING Cost of Government Summit in Washington, D.C.

FEATURES

• Legislative Issues to Watch in 2012
• By: John Buntin, Caroline Cournoyer, Elizabeth Daigneau, Tod Newcombe, Dylan Scott
• These nine topics will shape debate in state legislatures in 2012.

• 12 State Legislators to Watch in 2012
• By: Louis Jacobson
• The 50 state legislatures have a lot of talent, but these 12 individuals are ones to watch.

• How Language Fits Into the Immigration Issue
• By: Ryan Holeywell
• The dramatic rise in the number of people who speak limited English has prompted very different responses from local governments.

• The Boss of Boston: Mayor Thomas Menino
• By: Zach Patton
• Boston's longest-serving mayor has started to think big. (But he still sweats the small stuff.)

POLITICS + POLICY

• More State Workers Face Personnel Cuts
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• With the ballooning cost of benefits, a poor job market and more lean-government advocates in power, states are cutting personnel more than they have in the past.

• In Kansas, It’s GOP vs. GOP
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• For years, there have been two kinds of Republicans in the Kansas statehouse: conservatives and moderates. This year, the conservatives want total control.

• States Legislate in Response to News Headlines
• By: Alan Greenblatt
• In the current 24/7 news cycle, scandals often lead to bills in several statehouses.

• Not Yet a State, Puerto Rico Practices Good Governance
• By: Paul W. Taylor
• Puerto Rico, which will vote on whether to become a state this summer, has reduced its spending by 20 percent in just two years with the help of public-private partnerships.

• What Brand of Federalism Is Next?
• By: Peter Harkness
• Obama’s mixed approach of coercion and collaboration seems to be working, but that may not last.

• States and Localities Seek Voice in Federal Grants Overhaul
• By: Ryan Holeywell

• Why Are Dentists Opposing Expanded Dental Care?
• By: David Levine
• Citing safety as the reason, dentists are fighting states’ efforts to create mid-level dental providers who can provide care to underserved areas. Some speculate they just fear losing business.

• Utah Envisions a Sustainable Future
• By: Elizabeth Daigneau
• The public-private partnership, Envision Utah, is a national model for cities grappling with how to ease congestion, stop sprawl and clean the air.

• Cities Push the Business ‘Start-up’ Envelope
• By: William Fulton
• The business incubator is no longer a new idea. Cities are pursuing business accelerators, a kind of incubator on steroids.

• Blame Phone Apps for Graffiti’s Reemergence
• By: Tod Newcombe
• Technology has spurred a renewed interest in street art. Cash-strapped cities are combating the costly problem with smartphones.

PROBLEM SOLVER

• Putting Seniors to Work in Aiken, S.C.
• By: Jessica Mulholland
• In a town with a large population of people older than 65, a program that pairs senior citizens and at-risk kids is reaping benefits for both.

• Fighting Government Fraud
• By: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
• How much fraud actually occurs is debatable, but the benefits of eliminating it are clear. And many governments are taking steps to stop schemes, scams and public-sector swindles.

• Cities Extract Energy from Everyday Activities
• By: Steve Towns
• Roanoke, Va., and other cities are experimenting with new technologies that capture energy from footsteps, cars and more.

• 2011: The Bad Year That Wasn’t
• By: John E. Petersen
• In this Public Finance column, John E. Petersen says that despite dire forecasts, states and localities paid their debts on time and in full.

• Defending the Right to Vote in Denver
• By: Dylan Scott
• Although she faced a lawsuit from Colorado’s Secretary of State, City and County Clerk and Recorder Debra Johnson stood by her decision to send ballots to inactive voters in November’s elections.