Pensions

• Teacher Evaluations Change as School Districts Seek Federal Aid
• Source: New York Times   |   Nation   |   October 16, 2012
• Fueled in part by efforts to qualify for the Obama administration’s Race to the Top federal grant program or waivers from the toughest conditions of No Child Left Behind, the Bush-era education law, 36 states and the District of Columbia have introduced new teacher evaluation policies in the past three years.
• 1 Comments

• Teachers Strike in North Shore School District Outside Chicago
• Source: Chicago Sun-Times   |   Illinois   |   October 16, 2012
• Teachers in North Shore School District 112 have called a strike after a seven-hour negotiating session failed to produce a contract settlement.

• District of Columbia's Chief Tax Appraiser Resigns Amid Controversy
• Source: Washington Post   |   District of Columbia   |   October 16, 2012
• The District’s chief tax appraiser resigned amid controversy over reductions in the proposed assessments of hundreds of commercial properties that cut the city’s tax base by $2.6 billion.

• Police Predict Dire Impact from Sequestration Cuts
• BY: Stateline   |   Nation   |   October 15, 2012
• Cuts to federal criminal justice grants will mean that substance abuse programs, victims’ advocates, drug task forces and other law enforcement programs could be eliminated now or in the near future.
• 1 Comments

• Rhode Island Names Its 1st Chief Digital Officer
• BY: Government Technology   |   Rhode Island   |   October 15, 2012
• Thom Guertin will launch the Office of Digital Excellence and work with CIO John Landers to increase the number of services available to citizens online.

• Chicago Schools Chief Steps Down After 17 Months
• Source: Chicago Sun-Times   |   Chicago   |   October 12, 2012
• With the city’s first teachers strike in 25 years in the rear view mirror and a new contract to be implemented, Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard is out by “mutual agreement” with City Hall after just 17 months on the job.

• Sandusky to Forfeit Pension
• Source: AP/Philadelphia Inquirer   |   Pennsylvania   |   October 11, 2012
• Pennsylvania's public employee pension system said it would revoke Jerry Sandusky's $59,000 annual pension given his conviction and sentencing in the child sexual-abuse scandal.

• Why Public-Sector Strikes Are So Rare
• BY: Heather Kerrigan   |   October 10, 2012
• Public employees don't have the right to strike in 39 states. What other options do they have for getting what they want?
• 6 Comments

• Suspended San Francisco Sheriff Gets Job Back
• Source: San Francisco Chronicle   |   San Francisco   |   October 10, 2012
• The Board of Supervisors bucked Mayor Ed Lee by giving suspended Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi his job back after an allegation that stemmed from a New Year's Eve fight with his wife.

• Detroit Police Chief Resigns Amid Scandal
• BY: McClatchy News   |   Detroit   |   October 9, 2012
• Detroit Police Chief Ralph Godbee Jr. has retired effective immediately amid a scandal involving his relationship with a female officer in the department.

• Detroit Workers Face Suspension After Striking
• Source: Detroit Free Press   |   Detroit   |   October 9, 2012
• Thirty-three workers who walked off the job at Detroit's wastewater treatment plant Sept. 30 will keep their jobs but face a five-day unpaid suspension.

• Gov. Quinn's Pick to Run Illinois Sports Authority Filed for Bankruptcy
• Source: Chicago Tribune   |   Illinois   |   October 8, 2012
• Gov. Pat Quinn's choice to run the state agency that oversees the financial operations of U.S. Cellular Field filed for bankruptcy three years ago after racking up $102,500 in debt, mainly from credit cards, court records show.

• Wyoming State Treasurer Dies
• Source: Casper Star-Tribune   |   Wyoming   |   October 8, 2012
• Wyoming State Treasurer Joseph B. Meyer died Saturday following a battle with cancer. He was 71.

• Chicago Teachers Overwhelmingly OK New Contract
• Source: Chicago Tribune   |   Chicago   |   October 4, 2012
• The members of the Chicago Teachers Union voted 79.1 percent in favor of the contract, which union officials said was the highest approval rating for a contract in the CTU’s history.

• Emanuel Replaces Entire Ethics Board in Chicago
• Source: Chicago Tribune   |   Chicago   |   October 4, 2012
• During its quarter-century existence, the ethics board hasn't found a single case of wrongdoing by aldermen, though more than 20 were convicted of felonies in that period. The ethics board also has been criticized for failing to mete out punishment in cases involving employees.