TABLE of CONTENTS January 2012
Cover StoryLegislative Issues to Watch in 2012
BY John Buntin
These nine topics will shape debate in state legislatures in 2012.
FEATURES
12 State Legislators to Watch in 2012
The 50 state legislatures have a lot of talent, but these 12 individuals are ones to watch.
How Language Fits Into the Immigration Issue
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
Boston's longest-serving mayor has started to think big. (But he still sweats the small stuff.)
POLITICS + POLICY
Public Workforce
More State Workers Face Personnel Cuts
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.
Politics
In Kansas, It’s GOP vs. GOP
For years, there have been two kinds of Republicans in the Kansas statehouse: conservatives and moderates. This year, the conservatives want total control.
Technology
States Legislate in Response to News Headlines
In the current 24/7 news cycle, scandals often lead to bills in several statehouses.
Dispatch
Not Yet a State, Puerto Rico Practices Good Governance
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.
Potomac Chronicle
What Brand of Federalism Is Next?
Obama’s mixed approach of coercion and collaboration seems to be working, but that may not last.
FedWatch
States and Localities Seek Voice in Federal Grants Overhaul
The federal government is working to improve the way it administers grants. But states and localities aren't part of the council taking on the issue.
Health & Human Services
Why Are Dentists Opposing Expanded Dental Care?
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.
Energy & Environment
Utah Envisions a Sustainable Future
The public-private partnership, Envision Utah, is a national model for cities grappling with how to ease congestion, stop sprawl and clean the air.
Economic Engines
Cities Push the Business ‘Start-up’ Envelope
The business incubator is no longer a new idea. Cities are pursuing business accelerators, a kind of incubator on steroids.
Urban Notebook
Blame Phone Apps for Graffiti’s Reemergence
Technology has spurred a renewed interest in street art. Cash-strapped cities are combating the costly problem with smartphones.
PROBLEM SOLVER
Health & Human Services
Putting Seniors to Work in Aiken, S.C.
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.
Smart Management
Fighting Government Fraud
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.
Tech Talk
Cities Extract Energy from Everyday Activities
Roanoke, Va., and other cities are experimenting with new technologies that capture energy from footsteps, cars and more.
Public Money
2011: The Bad Year That Wasn’t
In this Public Finance column, John E. Petersen says that despite dire forecasts, states and localities paid their debts on time and in full.
Politics
Defending the Right to Vote in Denver
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.
