Citizens & Performance

• The Right Way to Manage a Government Contract
• BY: Charles Chieppo   |   April 3, 2013
• The Illinois Lottery is showing that government officials can hold their own with their private-sector counterparts.
• 1 Comments

• Detroit City Council Continues to Meet Despite Pending Lawsuit
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Detroit, Mich.   |   April 3, 2013
• Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr, in the face of a new lawsuit that challenges the City Council's ability to hold session, has told the council to continue meeting as usual even though it cannot take any official action without his approval.
• 3 Comments

• The Perils of Tunnel-Vision Leadership
• BY: Russ Linden   |   April 3, 2013
• The leadership fight at the University of Virginia is a powerful example of why so many change efforts fail.
• 2 Comments

• The Games of Government
• BY: John M. Kamensky   |   April 1, 2013
• By using video games to engage citizens in improving their communities, governments can tap into a powerful force: fun.
• 1 Comments

• What's Really Needed to Save Detroit: Democracy
• BY: Mark Funkhouser   |   April 1, 2013
• Certainly spending must be cut and services must be restored, but it's essential that the voices of the loyal Detroiters who have stayed be heard.
• 6 Comments

• Tom Menino, Boston's 'Urban Mechanic' Mayor, Will Not Run for Re-Election
• BY: Tod Newcombe   |   April 1, 2013
• After five terms, the city's longest-serving mayor will leave office at the end of the year.

• The Risks of Relying on User Fees
• BY: Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene   |   April 2013
• In the past three years, states and cities have brought in billions of dollars in additional user fees. But there are pitfalls to this form of revenue boost.

• Is Mesa Mayor Scott Smith Arizona’s Next Governor?
• BY: Ryan Holeywell   |   April 2013
• The businessman-turned-mayor is turning Mesa around while leading the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Could this moderate Republican bring his pragmatism and policy knowledge to the governorship next?

• How Smaller Cities Hold onto Major Employers and Grow
• BY: Mike Maciag   |   April 2013
• When a city’s economy depends mostly on one employer, local leaders will go to great lengths to make them happy. But to survive, towns need to attract new businesses.

• Should Local Government Be Run Like Silicon Valley?
• BY: John Buntin   |   April 2013
• Cities are contracting with Code for America -- what some call “the Peace Corps for geeks” -- in an effort to seed Silicon Valley virtues in local government.
• 2 Comments

• How Four Students Solved a Difficult Mental-Health Service Problem
• BY: Mark Funkhouser   |   March 28, 2013
• The winners of this year's National Public Policy Challenge had a guiding principle: Think big, start small.
• 1 Comments

• A Few Hundred Innovative Ideas for Urban Governance
• BY: Ben Weinryb Grohsgal   |   March 27, 2013
• The five winners of the Mayors Challenge are the cream of a bounteous crop.

• Camden School Board Member Departs Following State Takeover
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Camden, N.J.   |   March 27, 2013
• Following the state's takeover of the Camden School District , one of the the school board's youngest and most vocal members resigns, citing politics as the reason for her departure.

• Building an Election System that Works
• BY: Susan K. Urahn   |   March 27, 2013
• A new tool gives administrators and policymakers crucial benchmarking data they need to make the voting process fair, accurate and convenient.