Archive
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
L.A. County is using a computerized system to link homeless people with the social services that best fit their needs.
Tea Party candidates infiltrated the U.S. Senate primaries this year, but the group failed to form any real challenges to Republican governors.
It’s home to four buildings, each dating back to the 18th century.
The nation’s graying prison population will strain the corrections system. There are ways to keep costs down, but they’re not often used.
As bears, cougars and other predatory animals range closer to cities, wildlife agencies are rethinking how best to keep both people and animals safe.
High-speed Internet is finally starting to reach the nation’s most remote areas. Many residents, though, are slow to adopt it.
One Washington state shooting range made dozens very sick.
Voters legalized pot in three more places Tuesday, and now they have to decide how to regulate it. Some favor the government selling the drug directly to consumers over creating a for-profit pot industry.
A growing share of statehouse reporting in state capitols across the country comes from conservative groups, blurring the lines between journalism and advocacy.
Solar energy is one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries. But it and other renewables are eating into utilities' profits, which have begun asking cities and states for help.
The need to fund safety-net hospitals puts expansion on the table in some states.
In a nation where few students still walk to school, how has Lakewood, Ohio, gone without school buses for so long?
Only a few states take advantage of the federal matching funds intended to help employ food stamp users.
The Occupy movement may be over, but some of its activists are still gaining influence in local government.
An interactive show casts theatre-goers as participants in a city council meeting.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, who carries clear liabilities on his record, has kept the contest a dead heat by attacking his opponent.
In this video, Governing writers discuss two statewide measures on the November ballot that could have nationwide implications.
In this video, Governing writers discuss what state and local leaders should be paying attention to this Election Day.
Voters in Rhode Island will decide whether to bypass the legislature and hold another state constitutional convention. Critics worry it would only serve special interests and threaten people's rights.
An energy policy non-profit today released its annual ranking of states by energy efficiency programs.
Idaho's state insurance exchange program will launch its own Internet sign-up system in time for the open health insurance enrollment period that starts Nov. 15, officials say.
Three states are continuing their legal fight against same-sex marriage, despite rulings from federal appeals courts that oversee those states that concluded gay and lesbian couples have the right to marry.
New York City’s first confirmed case of Ebola has raised complicated logistical issues of how to trace the possible contacts of an infected patient in a city of more than 8 million people with a sprawling mass transit system and a large population of workers who commute every day from surrounding suburbs and states.
School districts from New Hampshire to Oregon are revolting against the coming Common Core tests.
An unapologetic U.S. Rep. Don Young on Wednesday wasn't backing down from statements he made Tuesday at Wasilla High School that suicide shows a lack of support from friends and family.
The system five years ago began to aggressively recruit students from other parts of the country, who brought in about $400 million extra last year. But the effort stirred a backlash from California parents.
Bobby Harrell pleaded guilty to six counts of use of campaign funds for personal expenses.
When a federal program to increase Medicaid doctors' pay ends Jan. 1, most states will choose not to keep it up.
Drivers says cops often stop motorists not because their driving is unsafe, but because they are policing for profit.
To protect their systems from attacks, organizations need to build a culture of risk management from the ground up.
Philadelphia and its teachers are at war over health-insurance costs. Tens of millions of dollars the schools want are at stake.
A system of no-show classes pushed by academic counselors for athletes and employed by coaches eager to keep players eligible at UNC-Chapel Hill produced an "inexcusable betrayal of our values," Chancellor Carol Folt said Wednesday.
With a grand jury decision looming on whether a white police officer should face charges in the killing of an unarmed black 18-year-old in Ferguson, Mo., the investigation has sprung a few leaks.
This week, California agreed to give up its unique use of race-based punishment as a tool to control violence in its crowded prisons.
Child poverty in America is at its highest point in 20 years, putting millions of children at increased risk of injuries, infant mortality, and premature death, according to a policy analysis published this week in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
For as many as 40,000 low-income Austin households being squeezed by high rents in a booming city, Wednesday offers the barest glimmer of hope.
Once again the U.S. Supreme Court is correcting its own record, but Wednesday marks the first time that the court has called attention to its own mistake with a public announcement.
Conservation groups want to use oil taxes to protect the state's environment, but schools, businesses and the oil industry have different priorities. Voters will decide in November.
Los Angeles' and California's efforts to cope with an ongoing drought highlight the need for a systems approach.
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
There have been problems with implementation of the Colorado law making those in the country illegally eligible for driver's licenses.
Dan Gilbert jabs Rick Snyder for signing a bill tat ensures Tesla Motors can't sell directly to consumers in Michigan.
The city's new hiring approach has inspired many to take big pay cuts to work in government.
Even though a majority of voters don't want the Republican re-elected, he may become the first U.S. governor elected with less than 40 percent of the vote -- twice.
Susan Combs, the state comptroller, stirred controversy last month when she said Texas’ growing wind energy industry should “stand on its own two feet.”
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court suspended Justice Seamus P. McCaffery on Monday amid allegations that he sent pornographic e-mails and threatened to entangle a fellow justice in the widening scandal after vowing not to go "down alone."
A Common Pleas Court judge Monday granted the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' request for a preliminary injunction to stop the School Reform Commission from imposing changes to teachers' health-care benefits.
His slam comes as President Obama is making a new push to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.
Almost nine of 10 uninsured Americans – the group most likely to benefit — don’t know that the law’s second open enrollment period begins Nov. 15, according to a poll released Tuesday.
Over the last two years, lawmakers in at least eight states have voted to increase the fees or the interest rates that lenders can charge on certain personal loans used by millions of borrowers with subpar credit.
Missouri sees urban, rural divide in heath care coverage.
Some places actually experience slightly less crime in the summer. But for those with big increases, what are police doing about it?
A new report highlights opportunities to try to improve water management in drought-stricken Western states.
The loss of about 50,000 Democrats since 2005 in the wake of Katrina hasn't made Sen. Mary Landrieu's job any easier.
Three suits say the state denies prisoners access to proper medical care in order to save money.
Mike Hubbard was indicted on 23 felony corruption charges.
Unlike four years ago, incumbent governors are most vulnerable this election cycle. We've rated every race.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has signed an executive order requiring that state officials monitor travel to and from the countries most affected by Ebola in West Africa.
The National Rifle Association on Monday announced its endorsement of Republican Larry Hogan in Maryland’s gubernatorial contest, citing his “support and commitment to the Second Amendment.”
Colorado health authorities suggested banning many forms of edible marijuana, including brownies and cookies, then whipsawed away from the suggestion Monday after it went public.
The mayor of Murrieta resigned Monday after being arrested Thursday on suspicion of seriously injuring four high school students while driving drunk.
Districts drawn to elect minorities may make it easier for Republicans to win in surrounding areas. That's helped the Republicans win and maintain majorities in Congress.
The U.S. attorney's office in Baltimore and the Department of Justice announced initial details about a collaborative-reform initiative to curb police brutality in the city.
The battle for control of state legislatures has gotten a little more competitive in recent months, with Democrats still playing defense.
Even though an increasing share of eligible voters are Hispanic, a new study suggests that for several reasons, they won't impact most governors races in November.
When candidates run uncontested, the county's board of supervisors cancels the election to save money and then appoints the candidates to the post as if they were elected.
A divided U.S. Supreme Court said Saturday that the Texas voter identification law should remain in effect for the upcoming election.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu has achieved remarkable results quickly with a systemic approach that relies on the effective use of data.
As a public leader, what you do before a calamity strikes is just as important as what you do once you're in the middle of it.
The state's economy is attracting 1,500 new residents a day, but growth is costing billions of extra dollars in road and traffic maintenance every year.
After Residents of Cheshire, Ohio, Complained of Health Problems, Coal Utility Bought the Whole Town
For $20 million, American Electric Power bought a town and a clear conscience.
Austin Energy has balked at the council’s green proposal and said it would be too expensive for ratepayers. And since then, a debate has ensued over how to be politically progressive and economically practical at the same time.
Massachusetts' effort to publicize prices is the most comprehensive so far. But some say it's more important for patients to have information on the quality of care.
Recognizing the vast influence that judges can have on state policy, their races have received a lot of money this election year.
The Republican governor of Wisconsin survived a recall election two years ago, but recent ethics scandals and attacks on unions may have wrecked his chances for a second term.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
Furious over the Philadelphia School Reform Commission's move to unilaterally cancel its teachers' contract, 3,000 people shut down North Broad Street on Thursday, vowing more disruptive action if the panel's action is not undone.
The West Virginia Supreme Court has denied Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's bid to prosecute criminal cases.
A new survey finds the public has a lot to learn about how the Ebola virus is transmitted, which could help explain the growing fears of the disease.
The end of Supt. John Deasy's dynamic and controversial 3 1/2 year reign over public schools in Los Angeles leaves school district leaders with the daunting task of mending broken relationships with employees, especially teachers, while stoking a continued upswing in student achievement.
Whether education funding in Illinois rose or fell under Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn depends on whose money you’re talking about, and during what time period.
The latest case in the ongoing Ebola scare has spread panic and fear across the country.
New Fraud-Detection-as-a-Service continues to “learn” over time, uncovering emerging fraud methods.
More than 80 years after Prohibition ended at the national level, Arkansas voters will decide in November whether to keep their state dry.
At one point, the city was home to 22 potato chip manufacturers. But just as the Detroit auto industry declined, so did the chip business.
This year, the state aggregated claims and electronic medical record data and patient satisfaction surveys.
Some patients with health insurance are struggling to pay for prescription drugs for conditions such as cancer, arthritis, multiple sclerosis or HIV/AIDS, as insurers and employers shift more of the cost of high-priced pharmaceuticals to the patients who take them.
How can 32 Chicago inspectors monitor 15,000 restaurants? Figuring out which ones aren't likely to pass inspection is a good start.
A federal appeals panel has overturned a 2006 Arizona law aimed at denying bail to people who are in the U.S. illegally and charged with a range of felonies.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a temporary stay halting same-sex marriage in Alaska Wednesday, a day after a lower court denied a similar request.
Arkansas' voter identification law crumbled Wednesday when the state's Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision to strike down the law.
Confronted by a gunman just blocks from the state Capitol, a legislator from Northeastern Pennsylvania pulled his own weapon and traded fire with a would-be robber.
In the weirdest start of a gubernatorial debate, Florida Gov. Rick Scott initially refused to take the stage Wednesday night because Democrat Charlie Crist insisted on a fan to keep him cool.
The California Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for further construction of the state's $68-billion bullet train when it declined to hear an appeal filed by Central Valley opponents of the controversial project.
The state is the first to let voters decide whether to make experimental drugs available to terminally ill patients -- a growing movement that started in a few state legislatures this year.
A poor economy and tax increases in one of the wealthiest states have made the Democratic governor one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country.
The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday evening ordered Texas to stop enforcing part of the state's strict new abortion law until a legal challenge has been settled, at least temporarily allowing more than a dozen clinics to immediately reopen.
Texas should require photo voter identification in this year’s general election, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, overturning an earlier ruling by a federal district judge in Texas.
With an improving fiscal climate, many states are increasing benefits for Medicaid recipients and paying their providers more.
Taking six bribes in 13 months will cost former Charlotte Mayor Patrick Cannon almost four years of his life.
While North Dakota has one of the lowest HIV prevalence rates in the nation, the number of cases in the state has grown significantly in just a few years, mirroring rapid population growth as workers from around the country flock to jobs in the state's oil boom.
Law enforcement says Proposition 47 is the wrong way to lower the state's prison populations.
Two researchers say the answer comes down to how a tax cut is financed.
Several states are piloting programs to develop cost-effective strategies in helping disconnected youth.
A Superior Court judge sided with the city of Charlotte in a ruling issued Monday that bars the Charlotte Airport Commission from running the city's airport without prior approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Since 2003, Gov. Rick Perry’s Texas Enterprise Fund has given out more than $500 million to private firms in exchange for a promise to create jobs in Texas.
The candidates for attorney general in their first debate Sunday clashed over how they would handle challenges to state laws, with the Democrat saying she would not defend Wisconsin's voter ID law and other measures and the Republican arguing the state's top cop must take on that work.
With the Nov. 1 deadline to apply approaching, it's now crunch time for a program that has already attracted 35,016 applications from high school students across the state. That has put Tennessee Promise on pace to perhaps double the state's goal of 20,000 applications.
A majority of New Jersey voters now have an unfavorable impression of Gov. Chris Christie, according to a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, with just 42 percent of registered voters carrying a favorable impression of him – the lowest ever recorded by the poll.
Karen Lewis, the controversial, combative and charismatic leader of the Chicago Teachers Union, will not run for mayor, significantly boosting Mayor Rahm Emanuel's chances to win re-election next year.
Maryland was the only state in the Mid-Atlantic whose casino revenue increased significantly between 2012 and 2013, as it cashed in on gamblers who had previously headed out of the state. But there are signs that the rapid pace of growth may be slowing.
Internal communications and documents from the highway administration show that a senior engineer charged with examining the guardrails expressed reservations about their safety, before he signed off on their continued use about two years ago.
The 30-second TV spot cited the accident that left her opponent, Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott, partially paralyzed and suggested he had profited from his misfortune while denying other victims the same remedy.
A breach in safety protocol at a Dallas Hospital has caused a female health-care worker to become infected with Ebola after having extensive contact with Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan.
The country's largest union and professional association of registered nurses said Sunday that American hospitals are still not communicating policies to health-care workers regarding how to handle potential Ebola patients. National Nurses United also said that 85 percent of 1,900 nurses surveyed said their hospitals have not provided education about the virus in a setting that allows nurses to interact with or ask administrators questions.
Add Alaska to the list of states allowing same-sex marriages, the product of a federal judge's ruling issued Sunday.
Demand for the treatment is likely to surge in Medicaid because the drug reduces side effects and requires fewer office visits, presenting a problem for state budgets.
Formal codes of ethics are worthwhile, but there is a lot more that can be done, both in government and in schools of public administration.
A ballot measure to give regulators the power to reject excessive premium hikes has garnered opposition from an organization that aims to make insurance more affordable.
A roundup of money (and other) news governments can use.
The people who would actually use the first nationwide public safety wireless communications network have largely been left out of its creation, possibly hurting its effectiveness.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper's decisions that once seemed like triumphs or smart compromises have turned off many voters.
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday refused to reconsider a March ruling that allowed Texas to require physicians who perform abortions to obtain admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of an abortion facility.
Less than 24 hours after news broke of a secret marriage, Oregon first lady Cylvia Hayes tearfully apologized to Oregonians and to her fiancé, Gov. John Kitzhaber, for accepting $5,000 to illegally marry an 18-year-old Ethiopian in need of a green card.
With Georgia polls set to open Monday for early voting, campaigns have less than a week to ramp up their "get out the vote" efforts. They're not starting cold: Leaders of the state's biggest political parties have made unprecedented use of analytics this year to pinpoint exactly which voters they need to win.
Though the nation’s overall uninsured rate has dropped about five percentage points in the last year, Americans are still more likely to say the health care law hurt them rather than helped them, according to a new Gallup survey.
Fewer than half of American states are working to protect themselves from climate change, despite more detailed warnings from scientists that communities are already being damaged, according to a new online clearinghouse of states' efforts compiled by the Georgetown Climate Center.
State Corrections Department officials gave a media tour of Oklahoma’s newly renovated death chamber Thursday and confirmed they are prepared to move forward with two upcoming executions in November.
The Wisconsin and Texas cases were the two most closely watched tests of new voter rules this year. In both states, the Republican-led legislatures sought to tighten the rules for voting and to require all registered voters who did not have a driver's license to obtain a photo ID card at a state motor vehicles office.
After 15 minutes of voicing last-minute concerns, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted 18-2 Wednesday night to join the new Great Lakes Water Authority.
Baltimore's mayor and police commissioner outlined Tuesday a sweeping plan to reduce police brutality, including the possibility of equipping officers with body cameras, while reiterating that they are committed to restoring public trust in the agency.
Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy issued an order Wednesday to temporarily halt gay marriages in Idaho, a day after a federal appeals court declared same-sex weddings legal there.
States that toughened their voter identification laws saw steeper drops in election turnout than those that did not, with disproportionate falloffs among black and younger voters, a nonpartisan congressional study released Wednesday concluded.
Consumers using the federal healthcare.gov website when open enrollment begins next month should expect a faster website with a shorter application form and features making it easier to use on mobile devices, Obama administration officials said Wednesday.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling on Wednesday that means voters in North Carolina will not be able to vote out of their precincts on Nov. 4 nor register to vote and cast ballots on the same day.
Three states are putting the issue to voters in November, including one measure that would criminalize abortion.
After two decades of leaving its gas tax untouched, Massachusetts tied the rate to inflation. In November, voters could join the list of states that repealed the automatic increase.
The state cut water use by 11.5 percent in August, a new report says.
How judges are appointed, elected and forced to retire (if at all) are key themes in this year's ballot measures.
Matt Price sells 100 different kinds of edibles, tinctures, buds and other marijuana offerings to the patients who frequent Cannabliss, the medical dispensary he opened up in a historic brick building that once served as a fire station.
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to extend a controversial partnership with federal immigration authorities designed to target potentially deportable immigrants who have been convicted of serious crimes.
Democrat Anthony G. Brown and Republican Larry Hogan traded accusations of deception Tuesday in a heated debate with four weeks to go before the Nov. 4 election for governor.
In a new report analyzing more than 1,100 chokehold complaints, the review board offers a reason: In the department’s disciplinary proceedings room, and in the board’s own investigations, the very definition of a chokehold had narrowed significantly.
A federal appeals court Tuesday unanimously struck down gay marriage bans in the West, paving the way for same-sex nuptials in five more states.
The boundaries of a congressional district drawn by Virginia's Republican-controlled Legislature were struck down by a federal court Tuesday in a case that involved accusations of racial gerrymandering for partisan advantage.
In Holt v. Hobbs, the U.S. Supreme Court has a chance to decide when courts should defer to prison officials on security policies that burden religious rights.
This fast-growing demographic group is largely ignored yet a sizable share hasn't decided how they'll vote, according to a new survey.
