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Instead of looking for better results through data analytics, new technology or paid consultants, Denver looks to its own employees for simple, straightforward reforms.
In the 1980s, San Francisco faced a court order similar to the one the state is facing now to reduce overcrowding. Rather than simply throwing the book at people, the city now often treats jail as a last resort and focuses on reintegrating ex-offenders back into society.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Education is taking center stage early in the State of the State season. Here are some of the more interesting proposals governors are floating.
If there’s a bright side to governments’ money problems, it’s that it’s forcing them to use plain English to talk about their finances.
Most agencies can’t match private-sector pay, and governments can no longer depend on superior benefits packages as a recruiting tool.
The turnover rate among young state employees is rising. Raising pay might be a way to change that, but it’s not a practical one.
Late-night transit options may make a city more attractive to younger generations, but running trains around the clock has its drawbacks.
The United States once dreamed of building great things – like a library in every city – and made those dreams come true. But not anymore.
The feds set a goal of reducing crime on tribal reservations by 5 percent. Here’s how they brought it down by more than 700 percent.
It’s a tempting idea, but cities simply don’t have the power to do what most of their residents want them to do.
How one agency handled a tragedy as it unfolded live on Twitter.
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
The city is using a variety of innovative approaches to leverage the tech sector and diversify a government-dependent economy.
A new book about Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft has much to tell us about the challenges facing governments today.
To match the private sector in the competition for crucial technology talent, public leaders need to think and act innovatively.
Four of the 17 states running their own insurance marketplaces lost their health exchange directors in the last few months.
Once America's most popular form of urban transit, streetcars practically disappeared but have returned to cities with a vengeance.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Find out which state and local law enforcement agencies are using or seeking authorization to deploy drones.
How elections in 2014 could shape education policy in the states.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Three governors whose states have done a poor job of shielding kids from sometimes-fatal abuse and neglect are taking important steps.
Do states and localities have a revenue interest in virtual currencies?
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Under Obamacare now, undocumented immigrants and children who are legally present under Obama’s Deferred Action program are ineligible for Medicare, non-emergency Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
After 10 months and even a lawsuit demanding he move faster, Gov. Rick Scott has finally announced his new lieutenant governor. Scott named Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser Carlos Lopez-Cantera, 40, to the post Tuesday morning.
Entering a leadership role? Want a promotion? Need a better work-life balance? These six books (and one guide) might help.
A new survey identifies the top political concerns and impediments to job growth for small businesses.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Human services departments are looking for new and creative ways to fund programs.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
At the end of 2013, the number of people signed up for health insurance through online exchanges shot up dramatically -- though youth participation remains low.
See states offering matching federal earned income tax credits.
A grassroots organization plans to give away abandoned houses to writers who agree to move to the bankrupt city and boost its arts community and economy. So far, it's not costing the city a dime.
HealthCare.gov is another reminder of the ongoing problems government has with technology. But success and innovation are possible, says an expert.
The Treasury Department and the IRS said they plan to issue a final rule that spares fire departments from having to add their volunteers to their insurance plans. Some say the mandate could have threatened public safety.
Government leaders long ago took up the challenge of protecting the public from deadly diseases. New challenges are testing that resolve.
A $25 million investment loss by the Boston-area transportation authority's retirement fund demonstrates the need for the same transparency and oversight that other public pensions are subject to.
Metro areas where most residents commute by carpooling.
The governor put in one of the best performances of his career.
Most governments didn’t shed large numbers of jobs in 2013, but they didn’t begin to ramp up hiring either.
Maryland replaces a one-of-the-kind agreement with the federal government for another unique arrangement: the ability to limit spending in all hospitals to the rate of economic growth.
Watch and read the transcript and highlights of every governor's annual address.
This week's roundup of money (and other) news that governments can use touches on fiscal health predictions, marijuana money, tax heroes and more.
Three of the nation's top metros for carpooling are in the Aloha State.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
A key part of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio's proposal is handing over funds and discretion to states.
At a press conference Thursday, the New Jersey governor said he was misled when he asked his staff about the closure of bridge lanes -- which some speculate was political payback for a mayor's decision not to endorse Christie for re-election.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
A commission of former governors and health industry executives is calling on states to lower the cost and improve the quality of health care.
New York City, Boston, Pittsburgh and Seattle all welcomed new mayors in the last seven days.
Last year, at least 15 states sought to help the working poor by building upon the federal Earned Income Tax Credit.
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
The budget deal reached last month delays $1.1 billion in cuts to funding for hospitals serving large percentages of uninsured people. But that postponement will only make 2016 hurt a whole lot more.
Read and watch the governor's annual address.
One of the New Jersey governor's top aides ordered lane closures that gridlocked a town -- a move that Democrats say was political payback for the mayor's refusal to endorse Christie.
Some of the practices that are common in business could encourage effectiveness and innovation in the public sector.
Read a transcript and watch a video of the governor's annual address.
The building already has a statue of the Ten Commandments, so a satanic group says it should get space, too.
State and local governments that look to raise the minimum wage may have to boost their own workers' pay first.
We owe the former mayor of New York City a debt of gratitude for what he accomplished, but should also remain cautious with how he got things done.
A new study finds reasons for optimism for municipal finances. But California is the outlier.
With revenue on the upswing, now is the time for states to set money aside to cope with the next downturn. But they also should take steps to dampen revenue volatility.
As many young people switch to their parents’ plans, university-sponsored plans are losing money, forcing colleges to rethink how (and whether they should) offer health coverage.
Volunteers account for most firefighters, and starting in 2015, departments will have to pay for their health insurance. If nothing changes, some warn that departments will limit volunteers' hours or even cut their positions to avoid closing.
The state Supreme Court ruling, which may impact cases in other states, is part of a broader debate about what public services and benefits should be available to residents who don't have a visa.
Polly Trottenberg, a higher-up at the U.S. Department of Transportation, takes over an office that's been redefined in recent years.
A new report provides a checklist of a dozen issues that need to be addressed when governments contract for cloud computing services.
Some governments lack clear planning procedures and rules for parades. Read how localities can better prepare, along with a summary of recent parade accidents.
After years of declining revenue, the money began slowly tricking back in for states and localities in 2013. But there still was still a huge mess left to clean up.
Fewer stops can reduce travel times and operating costs, researchers say.
State Department of Transportation has awarded the final contract for improvements on roads impacted by the energy sector.
Politics weren’t a factor in the selection of CGI Federal to build the health insurance Web site, but neither were the company’s links to a series of troubled federal projects more than a decade earlier.
Several states have yet to make a decisive choice on Medicaid expansion, and 2014 could be their year.
The state's high court decided a move by a little-known state panel to accept federal expansion money was legal.
Medicaid enrollment assisters in Maryland are finding ways to sign up homeless people for public health insurance despite huge technical problems.
Should governments emulate the business practice of Fortune 500 companies?
The disinvestment and reliance on higher student fees and tuition creates significant risks not only for students—but for states, too.
Troubled post-industrial places need help building better connections with more successful cities.
Public finance looks to be more stable than in previous years, but stable doesn't mean easy.
With homeownership at its lowest level in decades, the demand for rental housing is high -- and so are the rents.
The top 3 tech policy trends that will demand attention from state and local leaders this year.
Even though Americans are increasingly looking to online media for their news, public officials still give preference to TV and print newspapers when responding to requests for information.
Hydraulic fracking holds so much promise for generating inexpensive, relatively clean energy. But first, we need to figure out how to regulate it.
After years of stagnation following Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is building itself a new economy.
Wildfires in the U.S. are becoming bigger, more destructive and more frequent. And the extra cost of putting them out comes straight from the budget for fire prevention.
After Mayor John Cranley campaigned on opposition to the project, he announces "we're going to have a streetcar."
Housing and income data show cities with low housing affordability.
For the 1,350 districts that serve high numbers of military personnel, Native Americans and kids living in federally subsidized housing, Congress' new budget deal offers a chance at relief from serious federal cuts.
Since we last published a list of 12 state legislators to watch in January 2012, we’ve seen one legislator rocket to national stardom, two abruptly, and voluntarily, leave politics altogether and the rest continue to soldier on in the political trenches.
Here's the rankings for AG offices up for re-election in November.
Miami-Dade County's mayor is pushing a compromise plan that may help get this budget-buster under control.
States with no income tax could see reduced consumer spending in 2014 if a federal tax deduction is allowed to expire.
A way for businessmen to take a mid-day nap in the 1800s, the incline in Dubuque, Iowa, is still used by commuters and sightseers today.
As the No Child Left Behind era ends and Common Core begins, two education heavyweights face-off over what we’ve learned and where we’ve gone wrong.
Municipal officials and entrepreneurs see the power of cultural events as a way to spur short-term tourism while shaping an image of the host city as a cool, dynamic location where companies and citizens in modern, creative industries can thrive.
Hall County, Ga., has quietly become full of charter schools. But its model isn't what you'd think.
Private-sector actors are reshaping the center of some cities in ways local governments no longer have the ability to do themselves.
It’s a tough time to be a politician, but these state lawmakers are really making a mark.
After its driest year on record, the state is trying one of the cheaper ways of staving off drought: cloud seeding. But is it safe and does it work?
Whether or not Americans support doctors helping terminally ill patients to voluntarily end their lives depends on the words used to describe the issue. Those words also determine the success of such bills.
States are supposed to implement the new education standards this fall. But the opposition to Common Core – which has enemies of every political persuasion – could undermine the program first.
One provision of the finalized Volcker Rule could cause headaches for states and localities that issue bonds.
A growing number of local governments are turning to private fellowship programs to import talent when they need it.
The unpredictability of snow doesn’t just drive citizens and public works crews crazy – it makes it nearly impossible for city officials to plan their budgets.
Voters elected an unusually high number of new big-city mayors in November.
Governors only succeed about half the time in passing legislative proposals they push for in their annual address.
For a second and final time, the District of Columbia City Council voted unanimously to increase the minimum wage.
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's lead watchdog.
A new report finds that due to funding cuts, states are skimping on public health, leaving their residents vulnerable to infectious disease and food-borne illness.
The highlights included a new transportation secretary and big funding hikes at the state level.
Former Caltrans Director Will Kempton is determined to help the Golden State generate billions of dollars for needed infrastructure improvements.
The state just hiked their gas tax, increasing transportation funding by billions.
Sometimes a major initiative can never recover from a poor launch. To maximize the chances of success, it's critical to avoid the "Overconfidence Trap."
The botched rollout of the federal health exchange underlines the need for changes in how governments at all levels handle major technology projects.
A dispute this fall between the city of Bakersfield and Kern County in California over animal shelter costs shows just how inter-local agreements can easily fall apart without proper nurturing.
With every municipal bankruptcy, there usually comes the chorus of warnings that more cities will join.
Airport officials tell lawmakers they need permission to levy higher fees on passengers in order to fund much-needed upgrades.
Rather than trying to regulate what private-sector contractors pay their executives, governments should be looking for the best deal for the taxpayers.
Nationally, only a small fraction of people walk to work. But some cities' policy and planning efforts are making walking an everyday means of commuting. View data and maps for dozens of U.S. cities.
Despite the president's recommendations, nearly half the states, including some of the staunchest supporters of Obamacare, have refused to allow insurers to reissue canceled health plans.
A pilot program in California is using "reference pricing" to cap health-care costs. Can the strategy be used by others?
A report finds many cities are receiving more requests for food and housing assistance, but expect fewer resources to meet the demand.
Enrollment dramatically increased on both the federal and state-based online insurance marketplaces, but the state-based sites are still far outpacing the federal one.
If passed, the two-year budget deal would shift planned spending cuts and alleviate some of the funding uncertainties that have plagued state and local governments.
When it comes to building a top-flight workforce, getting branding right is just as important in the public sector as it is in business.
The four biggest issues facing government employers and employees this year and how they impacted public servants.
Gov. Sam Brownback is using cash assistance to support a youth reading program as a way to reduce out-of-wedlock teen births.
When adjusting for inflation, state spending and revenue are both below their pre-recession peaks.
Most public-sector IT projects use cumbersome, outdated methods. Some could benefit from a faster moving approach that prizes speed and flexibility.
Cities where most residents walk to work, with detailed data for 300 jurisdictions.
The newly proposed legislation comes as federal regulators consider lifting restrictions on the devices.
