Archive
Could Medicare reform play a role in health care cost reduction in a way that actually benefits governments?
Co-ops could change the economics of the industry.
The ten Paradoxical Commandments of government - the reasons why changing your agency is so hard.
Energy accounting will soon impact everyone - even those not directly involved in sustainability efforts.
The Golden State's voters opted for more schools, roads and research, but then refused to pay for them.
Mobile apps and social media are being tweaked to serve transportation needs.
There is a good lesson in the travails of a mammoth New York agency.
A little bit of absurdity may not be such a bad thing.
For the White House, the new mantra is 'metro regions.'
Government culture values getting things done. But thinking -- proactive thinking -- is crucial.
Sit around a dinner table and ask, "What makes a good doctor?" You might think that this would ruin the party, but it doesn't. Try...
The next-gen target-date funds for 457 plans have lower fees and consistent returns.
Regulate, don't prohibit, qualified organizations.
Plus: Getting a fix on the price of government, one state that's all smiles right now, and more
There is more than one way to look at appearances vs. reality when it comes to ethical behavior.
Successful campaigns to alter public behavior share common features.
Congress can't repeal the laws of supply and demand.
Keeping an eye on California, how most states are bungling stimulus accountability, and more
Before selling a solution, a leader needs to "sell the problem." That's best done when managers themselves experience what's wrong.
Less than 15 percent of medical decisions are based on "appropriate evidence."
Now that we have your attention, let us explain why this is so. Up...
The District of Columbia is making practically all of its data available to the public. The effort to promote transparency and trust is generating excitement.
Another big statewide IT project hits speed bumps. So does the CIO.
For urban agriculture to work, however, we'll need to stop talking about it in utopian terms.
Transportation policy shouldn't be reduced to average commuting times.
The stimulus law's transparency requirements are an opportunity for governments to transform themselves permanently.
Plus: The big pencil, the pressure to appear overloaded, and more
Local pension costs may triple in New York State, meaning costs will outrun revenues, even when the recession ends.
States and cities have a lot of reasons for inaction on funding retiree medical benefits. Some of their excuses are pretty flimsy.
Government should help social entrepreneurs find creative solutions. The best way to do that is to remove barriers.
It's time to take a harder line on under-priced "bennies." Here's how.
Plus: Under-reporting homicides, under-sharing best practices, and more
The "R" word -- "rationing." No one wants to talk about it because it is the "third rail" of American health care politics: Touch it...
Such mandates often waste money on calculations that reveal little.
A subsection of the federal recovery act may kill off the muni bond as we know it.
When goals are in conflict, it's time look for common interests. A non-governmental initiative offers lessons for public managers.
Plus: The questionable effectiveness of tax incentives, what happens when pilots fly blind, and more
To meet the demands of a changing world, governments need to program themselves for change.
If you're among those who think prevention saves money, and will help reduce the overall cost of medical care, you're not alone. But while an...
Alice-in-Wonderland math can't work for Deferred Option Retirement Plans.
Plus: Whether CEOs matter, the public-private slowdown, and more
How to distinguish between a permissible white lie at work, and a hurtful one.
GASB is looking at new rules for making sure we pay for services we use.
A failed wireless deal has San Francisco's CIO pondering tough moral questions.
Sometimes it saves money to outsource government work. But don't assume that.
It's always tempting to seize on the latest fad. But slow, steady change is usually the right idea.
National health care reform can't bail out state and local retiree health plans.
Readers of the B&G Report tell the top two qualities they're looking for in an employee.
Plus: The possible demise of a performance institution, management lessons from a weight-loss program, and more
It's the latest, busiest trend in government management. Just don't call it a fad.
'Learned helplessness' can be a powerful drag on an organization's performance. But there are ways to combat it.
Are these new municipal bonds silver linings -- or fools' gold?
The assistance from Washington is full of compromises that undercut its effectiveness. There is a better way.
Americans should be able to count on receiving quality health care when needed, even if it doesn't save money. The important thing is making sure...
Plus: Paying for snitches, the power of putting data on a map, and more
Online services are fine, but they've become old hat. It's time to use new technology tools to make government more transparent and collaborative.
Not many know how many cybersecurity breaches occur in state and local governments.
Autos and airplanes have a lot in common with the Web and cell phones. Moving people and information around are both transformative.
Governors running for president will have some uncomfortable moments in the year ahead.
When it comes to making loans to local companies, should a city act like a banker or a venture capitalist?
The children's health program is a model for what broader health care initiatives ought to look like.
A drive toward increased efficiency in energy and reduced oil consumption means state revenue systems will undergo wrenching changes.
A conversation with former New York Governor George Pataki's budget director.
A vibrant local economy needs a good supply of housing for sale at lots of price points. But that's not what's happening right now.
Its schedules are undependable, prices high and on-board service of middling quality. Yet demand for Amtrak's inter-city service grows.
A new federal law gives the military a domestic function it hasn't had before.
A $7.25 minimum wage means a lot politically. It just doesn't mean much economically.
If the economy turns down this year, will the feds rescue the states the way they did in 2003?
New paradigms for a new year
A surprising number of states and localities don't have the kind of inventory of their assets that a decent shoe store has.
The retirement industry took a beating last year. But 2009 still provides some opportunities for the public sector.
State and local governments shouldn't wait for the White House and Congress to come up with the next stimulus package. They should draft a specific new proposal of their own.
Could public pensions help solve the banking and mortgage crises?
Stronger laws would optimize OPEB plans and benefits bonds.
They're a bad solution in search of a problem, and they won't stimulate anything.
Let's triple the infrastructure stimulus -- and put municipalities back to work.
Six more new paradigms for a new year
There's a new tool for financial officials and managers to master.
Unlike with pension fund investments, nothing ventured means nothing lost.
Michael Bloomberg's refreshing and realistic look at retirement math
A better voluntary savings vehicle for retiree health coverage
Timely congressional action could double the infrastructure stimulus.
State and municipal deferred-compensation plans are at risk from the insurance-industry tumult. It's time for some due diligence.
Plus: The price of promptness, the problem with playing it safe, and more
A conversation with the controller for the city of Los Angeles
Plus: Unacceptably low graduation rates, the "paperful" office, and more
Plus: The broadband ZIP-code gap, transportation safety for emergency responders, and more
A conversation with the mayor and county manager of Miami-Dade
Plus: Overly expensive -- and overly designed -- logos, the Philadelphia Productivity Bank, and more
A conversation with the former West Virginia governor and the current president of the Alliance for Excellent Education
Plus: A great tool for performance reporting, our Journalist of the Month Award, and more
Plus: Public vs. private salaries, sharing data over the Web, and more
Plus: Higher-than-expected turnover, the importance of old-fashioned written materials, and more
Plus: Roadblocks to shared services, private-sector succession planning, and more
Plus: Why to avoid group e-mails, taxing other states' muni bonds, and more
One of the toughest things for states or localities to do is get bona fide input from citizens on how they're doing.
Plus: Generational conflicts in the workplace, how building maintenance reduces staff turnover, and more
Plus: Telecommuting breeds discontent, sick public-sector workers, and more
Texas is leading a charge to get rid of the accounting rule that forces states and localities to tally the future costs of health benefits for retirees.
A conversation with one of the nation's top experts on program evaluations
This is supposed to be the era of enlightened federal transportation policy. Sometimes you have to wonder.
Plus: States giving cities the shaft, letting citizens sit on pension boards, and more
Building a local economy around retirees may seem like the perfect growth formula, but it has its flaws.
It takes far longer to build a major project today than it did a century ago. Why is that?
State and local interest groups don't wield the clout they once had in Washington. But there's crucial work for them to do.
Plus: State boards in limbo, the power of picking up the phone, and more
Plus: A Good Idea from Oregon, the truth about state "wellness programs," and more
Plus: The decline of the citizen survey, using the Web to change attitudes about government, and more
Plus: Losing credit in Hartford, fed-state stat spat, and more
Plus: The problem with a one-year check-up, unspent money in Tulsa, and more
