TABLE of CONTENTS March 2013
Cover StoryThe Power and Danger of Setting Extreme Goals
BY John Buntin
Extreme goals are ambitious and attention grabbing. They also often seem impossible -- and that can be a problem.
FEATURES
Veterans Seek Help from States and Localities
Some states and localities are stepping in to fill the void left by federal aid. One successful model is emerging in Utica, N.Y.
The 'B' Word: Is Municipal Bankruptcy's Stigma Fading?
There's a growing sense among some leaders that municipal bankruptcy -- unthinkable just a few years ago -- may be a valuable tool.
Management Fads That Make a Difference
New management tools are a dime a dozen and often just old strategies with fancy new names. But a few do make measurable differences.
Will the Next NYC Mayor Continue Bloomberg's Urban Planning Legacy?
Under Bloomberg, the cityscape has been reshaped in unprecedented ways.
POLITICS + POLICY
Health & Human Services
To Promote Health Exchanges to the Public, States Get Creative
As many as 20 million Americans are supposed to enroll in the online marketplaces and purchase health insurance this year. But many people still aren't aware that the exchanges even exist.
Public Safety & Justice
Cities Rethink Gun Buyback Programs
The programs were found to be ineffective in reducing violent crime, but cities are revisiting -- and in some cases, revamping -- them in the wake of last year's mass shootings.
Politics
Some State Legislators Want to Work More, Not Less
Four state legislatures meet every other year instead of annually. Lawmakers in North Dakota and Texas want to leave biennial budgeting in the past.
By the Numbers
Report Grades Cities’ Spending Transparency Websites
A new report examines 30 cities' online transparency efforts. View scores for each local government.
Urban Notebook
The Mayor Had Chutzpah
Ed Koch, the lively, contentious mayor of New York City who died at the age of 88 on Feb. 1, left an indelible mark on the city where he lived and worked for most of his life.
Dispatch
The Tricky Business of Commercial Advertising in Public Places
Public transit systems have accepted advertising for a long time. But it’s not always without controversy.
Potomac Chronicle
Federalism from the Bottom Up
More than ever, the feds need states and local regions to take the lead in crafting promising new programs.
FedWatch
'Zombie' Estate Taxes Appear Dead for Good
The fiscal cliff deal seems to have made it all but impossible for about 25 states to collect estate taxes, barring new laws.
Health & Human Services
Communities Fill Dental-Coverage Holes
Rather than wait for lawmakers and insurers to provide adequate coverage, some dentists and public health advocates have taken it upon themselves to try to reduce the number of ER visits for dental problems.
Energy & Environment
Indianapolis Aims to Have 1st All-Green Fleet
The city has a bold plan to make every vehicle in its fleet, including police cars, run on alternative fuels.
Economic Engines
Why States Keep Playing the Losing Tax-Incentive Game
Elected officials and experts aren’t sure if tax breaks actually create jobs. So why do they keep offering millions of dollars worth of subsidies to companies?
Urban Notebook
New Funding Model Needed for Urban Parks
People love parks, but building a new urban park is expensive. It’s why so many cities rely heavily on public-private partnerships to build today’s urban parks.
PROBLEM SOLVER
By the Numbers
States Experience Disparity in Police Fatality Rates as Agencies Target Safety
An analysis shows fatality rates vary by state, with most deaths in the South.
Smart Management
Why Haven’t States and Localities Capitalized on Great Management Ideas?
When management meets politics, management is generally the loser. What can policymakers do to heighten the chances that a reform will, at least, be given the opportunity to succeed or fail?
Better Government
A Transportation Funding Power Shift
States are moving into the void left by Washington’s paralysis.
Tech Talk
Online Registration Helped Increase California’s Youth Vote
If there was any doubt about citizen desire to register online, California’s one-month experience with it running up to the November general election erased it.
Public Money
New Rules Could Clear the Path to Pension Reform
For most states, the new government accountability rules eliminate the main substantive barrier to moving toward less costly defined-contribution plans.
