March 19, 2019
Understanding the Benefits of a Data-Driven Government
Cities have come a long way in using data to inform decision-making, but progress can still be made.
March 11, 2019
Why Some Government Managers Make Less Than Their Employees
This form of pay inequity, referred to as salary inversion, is making it difficult to fill supervisor positions in the public sector.
March 1, 2019
Where’s the Data? What the Government Isn't Tracking
The amount of missing and unusable public-sector data is stunning.
February 25, 2019
Amid Strikes and Shortages, Governors Prioritize State Workers' Plight
Protesting teachers likely won't be the only public employees who see pay raises and workplace improvements this year.
February 11, 2019
Think Federal Workers Have It Bad? It's Worse for State and Local Employees.
The government shutdown exposed the financial insecurity and stress of many public servants.
February 7, 2019
Government Watchdogs Face New Obstacles
It’s getting harder for the people who check up on government to do their jobs.
January 28, 2019
The Gender Disparity in Climbing Local Government's Ladder
Women are less likely than men to aspire for and occupy top jobs. They're also less optimistic about their chances of moving up at all.
January 14, 2019
#MeToo Elicits More Harassment Conversations, But Not Necessarily Complaints
To address sexual harassment, it needs to be reported. State employees have been hesitant to do that.
January 10, 2019
Mapping Technology Expands Its Policy Reach
Once used only to manage infrastructure, GIS now deals with all kinds of data.
December 13, 2018
Accounting for Oysters: The Importance of Fiscal Notes in Policymaking
As Maryland has learned, it’s crucial to know the costs of proposed legislation.
December 10, 2018
Defying Predictions, Union Membership Isn't Dropping Post-Janus
The Supreme Court’s ruling was expected to diminish union membership. But so far, many unions have actually increased their numbers since the verdict. Conservative groups are working to reverse that trend in the long run.
November 26, 2018
Advice for New Governors as They Transition Into Office
For one, don’t assume the last governor’s appointees want to leave.
November 21, 2018
Why Are So Many Government Projects Late and Over Budget?
Ironically, it can happen because managers skip steps in an effort to go faster.
November 12, 2018
Who Needs a Desk? Tennessee Takes Telework to the Max
The state's new approach to the workplace goes far beyond traditional telecommuting. It's not only making employees and managers happier, it's saving the state millions of dollars.
October 22, 2018
Arkansas' Ambitious Plan to Reorganize State Government
The governor wants to downsize the number of cabinet-level agencies by more than half -- without laying people off.
October 12, 2018
How to Turn Government Data Into Clickbait
Graphic displays of information are useful only if they’re seen.
October 8, 2018
How Public Employee Benefits (Beyond Pensions and Health Care) Compare to the Private Sector's
At a time of low unemployment, both kinds of employers are beefing up their perks.
September 25, 2018
Government Purchasers Confront a Problem: Not Enough Vendors
Procurement officers are having to get more active -- and more creative -- to find companies willing to work with the public sector.
September 24, 2018
How Much Privacy Do Public Employees Actually Have?
The digital age, new laws and recent events have created tension between government's transparency and the privacy of the people who work for it.
September 10, 2018
Public Employees' Pay, Benefits and Rights Become Campaign Issues
A year filled with teacher strikes and sexual harassment scandals has led candidates for governor to talk more about how they would treat their state's workforce.
August 27, 2018
A Red State Raises Its Workers' Minimum Wage to $15
North Carolina Republicans overrode the Democratic governor to increase some state employees' pay. What led to this unexpected decision?
August 23, 2018
Data-Based Decisionmaking Works Great, Til Someone Cheats
There’s a long list of government agencies that have fudged numbers in misleading ways.
August 13, 2018
Wanting More Power, Public Employees Run for Office
"If you want to have an influence on policy, then the best way to do so is by being an elected official."
July 30, 2018
How Governments Are Closing the Gender Pay Gap
From banning certain hiring questions to opening up pay discussions between coworkers, states and municipalities are addressing years of inequality.
July 18, 2018
Expiration Dates in Government: How to Know When to Ditch a Regulation
Lots have passed their sell-by date.
July 16, 2018
How States Are Making It Harder to Leave Unions
Just over two weeks since the Janus ruling, about a third of the affected states have taken actions meant to soften its impact on unions' membership and revenue.
June 25, 2018
See Public Records? Governments Are Making It Harder.
A growing number of states are limiting access to them.
June 21, 2018
Thousands of Unfilled Jail Jobs, Millions in Overtime, 'Zero Room for Error'
States across the country are struggling to staff their prisons and jails. The shortages are costing them in overtime -- and lives lost when inmates riot against conditions likely worsened by overworked guards.
June 7, 2018
How States Are Helping People With Disabilities Break Into Government Jobs
Some are changing their applications. Others are instituting "tryouts."
May 24, 2018
Is 'Innovocracy' Hurting the Public Sector?
Massachusetts' comptroller thinks so.
May 22, 2018
Why Do So Many Governments Miss Their Project Deadlines?
Project delays are a huge problem. “Sourcing teams” could be one solution.
May 10, 2018
The Real Reason Behind Recent Teacher Strikes -- And Why They're Likely to Continue
It's about much more than low salaries.
April 19, 2018
Want to Prevent Cyberattacks? Don't Count on Employee Training to Stop Them.
Tips from a cybersecurity expert.
April 5, 2018
NDAs and Confidential Settlements Shake State Capitols and City Halls
People who work for the Trump administration and Congress members aren't the only government employees being asked to sign legally questionable contracts to keep secrets.
April 4, 2018
One of Affordable Housing’s Biggest Problems: Poor Management
Most of the problems are rooted in false or missing data.
March 26, 2018
In Government Procurement, Buying Local Is Popular. But Is It Beneficial?
Much like President Trump, many U.S. cities make an effort to use the goods and services of companies in their own city limits. It has some troubling side effects.
March 23, 2018
America’s 1,800 Licensing Boards and Their Countless Problems
Too many state licensing boards are not fulfilling their objectives, yet, more are popping up.
March 22, 2018
Are More Strikes Coming? West Virginia Wasn't the Only State Neglecting Employee Health Care.
The issue that led West Virginia teachers to walk out may be boiling over elsewhere as states neglect workers' benefits, sometimes causing financial and medical hardship for public servants.
March 8, 2018
Vacancies Aren't Unique to Trump. States Struggle to Fill Top Positions, Too.
When an agency head leaves, some states take years to find a permanent replacement. What takes so long?
February 23, 2018
Retirement Experts to New Government Employees: Think for Yourself
When pension reform happens, new workers often carry the biggest financial burden. But they don't always have to.
February 8, 2018
It's the Money, Stupid
There are a lot of big issues facing officials in 2018. The biggest is funding.
February 8, 2018
Unfilled Jobs Take Toll on Governments Across the Country
When vacancies are high, there are consequences -- and many places are feeling them.
January 25, 2018
Unions Widen Who They're Fighting For
Public-sector unions are becoming more altruistic. They may need to be.
January 23, 2018
Why Are Governments So Hesitant to Share Services?
It makes rational sense, but people find many reasons to be wary -- even high school football rivalries.
January 11, 2018
The #MeToo Effect Trickles Down the Public Workforce
As sexual harassment allegations take down powerful politicians, states and cities are revisiting their training and policies for the bureaucrats who have far less power but keep the government running.
December 21, 2017
How Public Employees Could Power the Struggling Taxi Industry
In what some say is a first in the world, D.C.'s latest venture gives taxi drivers new business and simultaneously cuts its own costs.
December 19, 2017
How's My Program Doing? The Question That Doesn't Always Have a Good Answer
Program evaluation offices have yet to become common throughout government -- and where they do exist, many lawmakers don't know about them.
December 7, 2017
How Some Cities Are Getting Millennials' Aid for Free
The David Bohnett Foundation is funding a pipeline -- albeit, small -- of young people who want to work in local government.
November 21, 2017
Are Your Schools Tracking Absenteeism the Right Way?
Better data is helping schools find new ways to keep kids in classrooms.
November 9, 2017
The Latest Social Media Trend in Government
It's hard to get people to follow their local government on Facebook or Twitter. A few cities are using their employees' personal accounts to connect with more residents.
October 26, 2017
5 Government Trends to Watch
As Governing celebrates its 30th anniversary, here's a few predictions for the next three decades.
October 19, 2017
States' Answer to Rising Health-Care Costs for Employees? You Pay for It.
Governments in recent years have shifted more and more of the burden of health-care premiums on to employees themselves.
October 5, 2017
How Unions Are Already Gearing Up for a Supreme Court Loss
Public-sector unions are already preparing for a potential exodus of members and a loss of revenue. Can they survive without charging mandatory fees?
September 21, 2017
An HR Expert's Dos and Donts of Managing
Sometimes you have to be the bad cop. Throwing out stereotypes about millennials is a good idea, too.
September 14, 2017
Why Government Watchdogs Are Worried
Budget cuts and political retaliation, they say, are endangering their jobs and their ability to uncover information.
September 8, 2017
Can New Perks Make Up for Smaller Pensions?
Many governments hope so, as they add benefits like napping pods and kid-friendly workplaces to keep employees happy.
August 24, 2017
Sunshine and Pay Raises: How Governments Poach Employees From Other Governments
The recruiting tactic may grow as baby boomers leave more job vacancies.
August 16, 2017
Why Are Government Websites So Bad?
Broken links, outdated information and mysterious abbreviations are just a few of the problems.
August 10, 2017
Hackers' Little Helpers: Employees With Bad 'Cyber-Hygiene'
Governments are starting to realize that cybersecurity isn't just the responsibility of the IT department.
July 20, 2017
In Virginia, Government Workers Are Getting Job-Search Help (From Their Current Employer)
“As far as I know, we’re the only state doing this,” says Gov. Terry McAuliffe's chief of staff.
July 20, 2017
Does Business Know Best?
You can’t run public agencies like private companies, but you can borrow ideas from them.
July 7, 2017
'Giving Help and Not Asking for It': Inside the Mental Health of First Responders
Human tragedy comes with the badge -- but help dealing with it often doesn't.
June 27, 2017
A Culture Shift for Government Shoppers
Purchasing has become more complex, which is why managers want critical thinking to lead the process.
June 22, 2017
Upgrading Government's IT 101
Public employees are often resistant to technological change. In some cases, it's their employers' fault.
June 8, 2017
The Pros and Cons of Telecommuting to a Government Gig
The option is catching on among public-sector employers as a way to attract and retain employees.
May 18, 2017
Why Is Government One of the Worst Industries for Equal Pay?
Women working in public administration make, on average, 25 percent -- or $16,900 -- less than men.
May 11, 2017
10 Ways Public Officials Lie, Kind of
They fool some of the people most of the time.
May 4, 2017
When Building a Diverse Workforce, Hiring Is Just the Start
Diversity has a lot of benefits, but achieving it isn't as easy as it sounds.
April 20, 2017
Are Nonprofits the New Go-To Choice for Altruistic Jobseekers?
Public service students appear to be shying away from working in government, possibly worsening the sector's longtime hiring struggle.
April 20, 2017
How Would Professors Grade the States?
We asked, and they told us.
April 6, 2017
A State Employees' Guide to Governors' Workforce Goals
From promises of pay raises to warnings of cutbacks, State of the State speeches offer a peek into their priorities for the year.
March 27, 2017
The Rise of the COO in State Government
Governors are slowly realizing that they need someone to take on the things they don’t have time for.
March 23, 2017
Generation Z Wants a Job. Are You Ready to Hire Them?
Studies show that the people just joining the workforce may present a different set of challenges and opportunities than their predecessors.
March 9, 2017
The State of Paid Parental Leave in the Public Sector
Few state or local government employees have the benefit, but that's slowly changing -- and so are the circumstances for getting it.
February 24, 2017
Can Government Employees Criticize the Government?
They have fewer free-speech rights than private workers, but what counts as a fireable offense is debatable.
February 15, 2017
From Food to Buildings, Safety Inspections Are Lagging
Staff and budget shortages are mostly to blame.
February 9, 2017
Governments Are Upping Their Professional Development Game
It's a win-win: Employees grow their careers and the public sector grows, or at least maintains, its workforce.
January 26, 2017
When Employees Quit, the Public Sector Panics
Few governments have succession plans in place. The ones that do are seeing some positive results.
January 23, 2017
Did We Say That? Public-Sector Predictions That Never Came True
Progress is slow. Our overly enthusiastic forecasts prove that.
January 12, 2017
The Do's and Dont's for Planning a Transition of Power
New governors can learn a thing or two from presidential transitions.
December 22, 2016
What Government Workers and Managers Should Be Paying Attention to in 2017
According to union officials and HR executives around the country.
December 20, 2016
Let's Make a Pact: States Increasingly Problem Solve Together
They often fall under the radar, but compacts are becoming a top tool for managing interstate issues.
December 8, 2016
Why Even a Public Management Expert Might Not Take a Government Job
Neil Reichenberg has devoted his career to helping the public sector hire and keep employees.
November 17, 2016
Where Are All the Social Workers Going?
Turnover in the field has reached crisis levels in some places, forcing them to figure out how to hire and keep the right people.
November 16, 2016
Colorado Governor’s Plan to Poach Corporate Leaders
John Hickenlooper hopes to recruit high-level talent for the next generation of public officials.
November 3, 2016
Hired by an Algorithm: HR's Technology Problem
Getting rid of paper applications speeds up the hiring process, but it can lead to the wrong people making the cut.
October 20, 2016
Introducing: How to Be a Better Mayor 101
Harvard and Bloomberg Philanthropies have teamed up to offer what they say is the first major effort to formally educate mayors about how to be more effective.
October 14, 2016
What Happens When Privatization Doesn't Work Out
Whether it's prisons in Idaho or pensions in Michigan, several states are moving their outsourced services back in-house.
October 6, 2016
Once Taboo, Government Employers Now Mix Work and Home
Public employers offer to help workers with nearly every aspect of their lives -- whether it's related to their finances or their marriage.
September 22, 2016
How Sugar Beets Symbolize Innovation in Government
In Karen Thoreson's world, few things are ruled out as a possibility for improving public services.
September 19, 2016
To Work on Parole Boards, No Experience Necessary
The people who decide criminals’ freedom are often ill-equipped to make informed decisions. That’s where risk assessment tools come in, but they aren't always used.
September 8, 2016
WANTED: Police for Hire, Minorities Encouraged
Qualified -- and willing -- applicants have become increasingly hard for police departments to find.
August 30, 2016
Lessons From Cities Trying to Be Better Buyers
Chicago and many other municipalities are focusing on reforming the rigid and inconsistent rules of procurement.
August 18, 2016
5 Common Headaches on Government Websites
Going online for public information isn't as easy as it should be.
August 4, 2016
Problem With Government? There May Be an Ombud for That.
States are increasingly creating specialized ombudsman offices to cater to citizens' complaints.
July 21, 2016
Is a 40-Hour Workweek Enough in Government?
Not for most local officials. But they may not all be using their time wisely.
July 12, 2016
Managing Life-and-Death Situations
When a disaster strikes, skilled management can save lives and political futures.
July 7, 2016
Can Government Be Too Transparent?
More information isn't always better. Some things are better kept secret.
June 23, 2016
Higher the Rank, Higher the Turnover
In some statewide positions, people come and go fast, taking several keys to success when they leave.
June 22, 2016
The Tricky Trend That’s Blurring Budget Transparency
Governments’ increasing reliance on special funds can put them in financial and legal trouble.
June 9, 2016
What Employee Surveys Reveal About Working in Government
Depending on whether you work for states and localities, the federal government or the private sector, your job satisfaction may differ.
May 25, 2016
States Struggle to Manage Medical Transportation
Millions of disabled, sick and elderly people rely on medical transportation that can leave them stranded for hours in times of need.
May 19, 2016
Public Employee Surveys: Worthwhile or Worthless?
It depends on how governments use the results.
May 5, 2016
Overtime: The Good, the Bad and the Unsafe
It's important to know when overtime is a smart financial decision and when it's better to send employees home.
April 25, 2016
States Start Making Colleges Work for Funding
At least 20 states are developing performance-based systems for funding higher education. The impact varies widely from state to state.
April 21, 2016
Bad Bosses
The majority of employee complaints result from weak managerial skills. What's being done to address it?
April 7, 2016
Lessons From the No. 1 Procurement State
The leaders of Georgia’s purchasing office on saving money, realizing the importance of data analysts and being underappreciated.
March 17, 2016
Government's Data-Driven Frenemies
There's a long-standing rivalry between the people who do performance measurement and the people who evaluate programs.
March 3, 2016
Meetings: A Necessary Evil That Can Be Improved
We have to have them, so we might as well make them as productive as possible.
March 1, 2016
5 Urgent Public Management Issues
These are the top challenges governments will need to address in 2016.
February 18, 2016
Where Affordable Housing Is Scarce, So Are Teachers
To get people to teach in expensive or rural areas, some school districts are offering to help pay their rent or mortgage.
February 8, 2016
Can Government Hiring Get Out of the Stone Age?
As states and localities have tried to modernize the way they attract and retain public workers, some best practices have emerged.
February 4, 2016
Governors’ 2016 Priorities
Their State of the State addresses offer a window into their to-do lists for the new year.
February 1, 2016
America's Jails Have an HR Problem
Employees are often overworked and undertrained, putting themselves and the inmates they're supposed to protect at risk.
January 21, 2016
State Budget Analysts Watch Their Own Numbers Decline
Most state budget offices have fewer employees and more work than they did a decade ago.
January 7, 2016
The Trials and Tribulations of Auditing Government
The people who probe governments' finances and effectiveness often have little power and are at risk of losing more, says Philadelphia Controller Alan Butkovitz.
January 1, 2016
Cheaper Isn’t Necessarily Better for Government
Many states and cities get hung up on low prices and fail to consider a company's performance when deciding whether to contract with them.
December 17, 2015
The Missing Pieces of State Budgets
Budgets aren't as transparent as they could be. There are ways (some simpler than others) to fix that.
December 3, 2015
Dumbing Down Financial Reports, Missing Meeting Minutes and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
December 1, 2015
7 Ideas for Using Government Data More Effectively
From city managers to auditors, local officials offer ways to fix data collection.
November 19, 2015
A Conversation With One of America's Performance Management Leaders
Gary Blackmer talks about auditing police, changes in the field and the toughest parts of the job.
November 5, 2015
Financial Reports: Better Late Than Never?
States often fail to finish their annual reports in time for them to even matter. Some have found ways to speed up the process.
November 1, 2015
How Tennessee Transformed the Way It Hires and Fires People
The state’s successful civil service reforms offer lessons for other governments.
October 22, 2015
States Own More Property Than They Know
Many states struggle to know how much property they have and how best to use it. Some, though, are fixing the problem -- and it's saving them money.
October 8, 2015
A Warning for States, the Best Government Website, New Privacy Protections and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
October 1, 2015
Do Animal Shelters Serve People or Pups?
Most have evolved toward a no-kill policy but lack the money or resources to keep every animal alive and well.
September 17, 2015
'You're Fired': Ways to Get Rid of Bad Government Workers
Public employers can't legally get rid of their employees as easy as Trump and his private-sector peers can. But there are ways to make it easier.
September 3, 2015
The Person Standing Between the Press and the Government
Mediators can either make the already-uneasy relationship between reporters and public officials worse or better.
September 1, 2015
The Importance of Listening to Public Employees Complain
Government agencies can learn a lot from tracking and analyzing grievance claims.
August 20, 2015
Helping Doctors Go Digital
For technology to meet its potential to transform health care, many barriers must be overcome.
August 6, 2015
Dubious Surpluses, Questionable Savings, Beneficial Failures and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
August 1, 2015
Exit Interviews: Increasingly Important But Often Forgotten
Knowing why employees quit might keep others on the job, something governments struggle to do.
July 23, 2015
The New Laws You Probably Won't Read About Anywhere Else
The media often ignores legislation related to government management, so we tracked down some of the year's highlights.
July 9, 2015
Bad Data Is at All Levels of Government
States are not the only ones to lack the data they need to make good government.
July 1, 2015
The Next Big Thing in Data Analytics
As the amount of data that governments accumulate grows, so does the need to disaggregate it.
June 24, 2015
The Causes, Costs and Consequences of Bad Government Data
States and localities are embracing the promise of big data. But just how good is the information they’re collecting in the first place?
June 18, 2015
What Improv Comedians Can Teach Government Employees
The guiding principles of improv comedy could help people in the public sector perform better.
June 4, 2015
Did Performance Measurement Cause America's Police Problem?
Some argue it can be traced back to how departments evaluate their officers.
June 1, 2015
Training May Be Valuable, But Few Governments Measure Its Success
And without proof of its value, cash-strapped states are increasingly cutting training budgets.
May 21, 2015
How Cell Phones Strain 911, The Importance of Follow-Through in Policymaking, Why Fraud Goes Undetected, and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
May 7, 2015
The Smell Test for Bad Data
There are many ways numbers can be misleading. Here are a few.
May 1, 2015
When Licensing Has Gone Too Far
License requirements are intended to improve the safety of services like nail salons. But in many other professions, the negative effects of licensing can outweigh the positive.
April 23, 2015
Problems Auditors Can't Fix, the Dangers of Overtime, Flipped Classrooms and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
April 9, 2015
5 of the Most Misunderstood Terms in Government
Government managers all appear to be speaking English, but the same words and phrases often have multiple, contradictory meanings.
April 1, 2015
HR Directors Get a Personnel Downgrade
Even though states spend more on payroll than anything else, many governors no longer look to human resources for advice on their workforce.
March 19, 2015
Twitter Tips, Aging IT Workers, Book Recommendations and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
March 5, 2015
The Paradoxical Truth About Efficiency Commissions
Many states have them, but few evaluate whether efficiency commissions are themselves efficient.
March 1, 2015
How Government Can Benefit from Becoming Better Storytellers
Most politicians fail to communicate the importance of policies to the public because they lack skills in the art of the anecdote.
February 19, 2015
The Turnover Gap, Why School Leadership Matters, Medicaid's Revolving Door and More
A roundup of public-sector management news you need to know.
February 19, 2015
Mixed Reviews on Disclosing Tax Incentives
While most favor increasing transparency in tax incentives, some of the biggest players in state and local government have spoken out against the latest proposal.
February 5, 2015
Overlooked Overpayments, Humanizing Public Services and HR Issues to Watch
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
February 1, 2015
6 Big Government Management Issues in 2015
Each are crucial for states and localities to address this year.
January 22, 2015
A Shortage of Data Analysts, Empty Promises, and Missed Opportunities
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
January 8, 2015
Crime and Mismanagement and the Realities of Gambling and Online Education
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
January 1, 2015
What Keeps Government Managers Up at Night
An impromptu survey reveals what public officials worry most about and what makes them optimistic about the future.
December 18, 2014
Ways to Improve Debt Collection, Problems with Contracting, and the Dangers of 'Shovel-Ready' Projects
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
December 4, 2014
Privacy vs. Data Sharing
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
December 1, 2014
So You Won the Governor’s Race, Now What?
The transition from one administration to the next sets the tone for a new governor. But there are ways to mess it up.
November 20, 2014
An Outsourcing Reversal, Misnamed Agencies and Reading Recommendations
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
November 6, 2014
The Hidden Threat: A Shortage of Correctional Officers
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
November 1, 2014
The Simple Way to Grade the Public Workforce
Some governments are going back to measuring employees' quantity of output instead of quality.
October 23, 2014
Questionable Credit Ratings, Tax Credit Disclosures and Gas Tax Secrets
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
October 9, 2014
Why Governments Don’t Know Bridges Are Deteriorating
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
October 1, 2014
Why Schools Resist Consolidating
There are financial and educational benefits to merging small school districts, yet it's almost always a hard sell.
September 18, 2014
Why Nevada's Tesla Tax Incentive Is So Risky
Plus more public-sector management news you need to know.
September 4, 2014
B&G Report: L.A.'s 300-Year Problem, Problematic Comparisons and Simple Solutions
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
September 1, 2014
The VA Isn't the Only Agency Mismanaging Waiting Lists
Many state and local agencies fail to properly oversee waiting lists for government programs.
August 21, 2014
B&G Report: Last-Minute Meetings, Mental Health and Data on Child Deaths
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
August 7, 2014
B&G Report: Performance Pay Problems, Shark States and Meaningless Goals
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
August 1, 2014
How Does a City Lose a Backhoe?
From guns to backhoes to vehicles, many municipalities struggle to keep track of their inventories.
July 24, 2014
B&G Report: a Ruling on Retirees, Bad Government Checks and Slow Press Offices
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
July 10, 2014
B&G Report: the Dangers of Comparing Police, Book Recommendations and Unhelpful Media
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
July 1, 2014
The Benefits of Sizing Your State Up to Others
Oregon’s workers’ compensation reform shows benchmarking (when done right) can lead to big gains in efficiency.
June 19, 2014
B&G Report: The Next VA Scandal and the Pros and Cons of Appointed Employee Contracts
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
June 5, 2014
B&G Report: Mobile Apps, the World's Worst Client and Traffic Decongestants
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
June 1, 2014
Politicians Count Their Pennies Too Soon
Elected officials have a tendency to promise big savings and painless cuts that often don’t turn out how they hoped.
May 22, 2014
B&G Report: The Value of Opting In, Outsourced Audits, and Wasted Art Funding
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
May 8, 2014
B&G Report: 'Reinstitution' of the Mentally Ill, Comprehensible Courtrooms, and the Flexibility Stigma
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
May 1, 2014
International Students: More Than Just Dollar Signs to U.S. Universities
When students from abroad attend American universities, their ideas enrich us.
April 17, 2014
B&G Report: Useless Opinions, Outsourcing Outcomes, and Leslie Knope-Inspired Awards
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
April 3, 2014
B&G Report: Ignored Reports, Government-Bought iPods and Auditing Auditors
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
April 1, 2014
The Trouble with Email
Yes, it’s been a boon for government work, but it also opens the door to conflict and confusion.
March 20, 2014
B&G Report: Anonymous Contractors, Unconventional Budgeting and the Seattle Syndrome
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
March 6, 2014
B&G Report: Public Records of the Dead, Empty Committees and Pension Tips
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
March 1, 2014
Happy Birthday, World Wide Web
In its 25 years, the Internet has drastically changed how government works.
February 20, 2014
B&G Report: Kickstarter for Government, the Problem with Practical Policies and Cities' Top 10 Challenges
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
February 6, 2014
B&G Report: Misleading Debt Burdens and Budget Claims and a Chance at More Cash
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
February 1, 2014
3 Ways to Keep Public Employees from Leaving
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.
January 23, 2014
B&G Report: The Fairness of Fines, Disappointing Government Websites, and Wasted Financial Reports
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
January 9, 2014
B&G Report: The Right World Outlook, What School Lessons Are Missing, and the Risks of Inaccurate Data
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
January 1, 2014
The Corporate Playbook for Government
Should governments emulate the business practice of Fortune 500 companies?
December 1, 2013
The Open Government Illusion
Open government is often more rhetoric than reality.
October 17, 2013
The Price of Driving on Bad Roads, 6 Things That Engage Employees, and a Bible for Wellness Programs
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
October 3, 2013
Flawed Thinking About Auditors, the Truth Behind Conferences, and the Value of Field Trips
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
October 1, 2013
Is Earmarking the Best Way to Fund Projects?
It's not black and white, but understanding the pros and cons increases your chances of coming to the right answer for a particular project.
September 19, 2013
Treating Medicaid Users Like Birds, Why Government Can Use More Jokes, and a Pension Guide for Politicians
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
September 5, 2013
High CIO Turnover, Civic Engagement Ideas and States with Sin-Tax Dependency
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
September 1, 2013
Why Do So Many Governments Resist Benchmarking?
Beyond fear of disclosure, there are a number of reasons states and localities may not want to engage in benchmarking.
August 22, 2013
New Yorkers Lose Homes to the Homeless, a Bright Spot for Detroit, and the Key to Increasing Home Values
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
August 1, 2013
To Keep Up with the Private Sector, Governments Must Focus on More Than Just Pay
Thanks to recent revenue increases, some states are unfreezing public workers’ pay for the first time since before the recession. But looking at pay levels rather than total compensation hides a great deal of the story.
July 25, 2013
Drought of Data Experts, How Much the Highest Paid Governor Makes, and Another Tax Loophole
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
July 11, 2013
A Warning for Big Data, 3 Ways to Handle Citizen Feedback, and Why "Experts" Are Often Wrong
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
June 28, 2013
States and Localities Realize the Importance of IGs
Although not every city and state is eager to form inspector general offices -- New York City leaders, for example, are currently debating the benefits of one for the police department -- the trend toward more of them has been steady.
June 20, 2013
Transportation Trends, the Good News About Bridges, and Funeral Directors' Push to Modernize
All the public-sector management news you should know.
June 6, 2013
Atheist Treasurers Not Allowed, the Merits of Revenue-Raising, and How Neb. Wound up with a Unicameral Legislature
All the public-sector management news you need to know.
May 23, 2013
Odd License Requirements, How Oklahoma City Lost 1M Pounds, and New Government Jargon
Public-sector management news you should know.
May 21, 2013
Improving Management: A Story in Texts
A text message conversation about how once management fads fade, the best concepts remain.
April 30, 2013
How to Keep Costly Road Repairs to a Minimum
Coordination between public agencies and utilities will keep streets from being torn up, again and again.
April 18, 2013
Iowa's Generous Employee Benefits, Winning Audits, and the Side Effect of Furloughs
Plus: the misconception about failure and more management news
April 4, 2013
Retirement Predictions, Sin Taxes' Side Effects and the Impact of Class Sizes
Plus: a great resource for child welfare workers and more management news
March 29, 2013
The Risks of Relying on User Fees
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.
March 21, 2013
Winners in Detroit, Useless Data and Rethinking Charitable Giving
Plus: the message that "out of office" replies convey and more management news
March 7, 2013
Detroit’s Fixable Fiscal Problems, Evaluators under Pressure and the Impact of Multitasking
Plus: The importance of parks and more management news
February 28, 2013
Why Haven’t States and Localities Capitalized on Great Management Ideas?
When management meets politics, management is generally the loser. What can policymakers do to heighten the chances that a reform will, at least, be given the opportunity to succeed or fail?
February 21, 2013
The Limits of Bill Gates' Influence, a Formula for Change and Honorable Contracting Reform
Plus: why Portland, Ore., may no longer be a leader in transit planning and more management news
February 7, 2013
The Reality of Being Sick, Job Piracy and Smart Pension Moves
Plus: how a transit authority transformed itself and more management news
January 31, 2013
Cities Strengthening Bonds with Their International Sisters
There's a new push to get these 2,000 international partnerships working together on concrete development programs.
January 24, 2013
Underreported News, a Risk to Public Health and Savings without Sacrificing Service
Plus: a guide for successful collaboration and more management news
January 10, 2013
Florida's Wasted Tax Dollars, Ignored Auditors and Keeping up with Transit
Plus: government's ongoing war against “the bad guys” and more management news
December 28, 2012
The Difficulties of Measuring Government Success
Take weatherization. It’s harder than advertised to come up with an easy way to assess the program’s success.
December 13, 2012
Restaurant Audits, Longevity Pay and the Value of Public Amenities
Plus: the importance of IT training and more management news
November 30, 2012
The Problem with Preferential Bids for Women, Minorities
Giving preference to women- or minority-owned businesses is a widely acceptable social policy that can run into management problems.
November 29, 2012
Giving Thanks to Government, Bad Data, and "Greening" Jails
Plus: 4 questions to ask before sharing services and more management news
November 8, 2012
Shared Services, Fat Stats, and a New Yorker's Account of Sandy
Plus: Finding Medicaid waste and more management news
October 31, 2012
Public vs. Private Employees: Who Wins in a Bidding War?
Instead of simply preselecting private- or public-sector employees, managed competition means projects can be put out for bid with both groups competing for work.
October 18, 2012
Changing How Universities Spend Money, the Problem with Rankings and Identifying Government's Enemy
Plus: The impact of postponed retirement and more management news
October 4, 2012
How Body Language Can Improve Union Talks, the Real Cost of Closing Schools and a Board Game for Budget Writers
Plus: Advice for the public sector from the private sector and more management news
September 28, 2012
What Killed Alabama’s Performance Measurement Plan?
Less than a decade after the state enacted its first real performance measurement plan, it -- like a number of other similar programs in the states -- has fallen on hard times.
September 20, 2012
The Gambling Bait and Switch, Surprising Workforce Stats, and Untracked Spending on Juvenile Justice
Plus: The unpredictable costs of trauma care, and more management news
September 6, 2012
Overcoming Training Losses, Improving Mental Health and Fixing the Problem of Too Much Parking
Plus: When cuts come to cops, and more management news
August 31, 2012
Sick Leave Causes Headaches for Governments
Governments are struggling with how to properly manage sick leave to prevent employees from abusing it.
August 23, 2012
When Training Goes Away, When Fiscal Fixes Backfire, and a Novel Traffic Solution
Plus: The return of the Manager's Reading List, and more management news
August 8, 2012
Getting Smarter on Health Care, Ironing Out Government's Conflicting Goals, and the Problem with Job Creation
Plus: Illegal pension recipients, and more management news
July 31, 2012
Gainsharing Falls Victim to Tight Times
The concept of sharing unspent dollars with other employees and agencies saves governments money but is often ignored when budgets are the smallest.
July 19, 2012
An App Without a Home, "The Big Pencil" and Getting Sick of Sick Days
Plus: Getting data right on teachers, and more management news
July 19, 2012
Rx for Too Much Sick Leave?
B&G readers weigh in on whether requiring doctors' notes will cut down on absenteeism.
July 5, 2012
Good Technology Investments, Spending Surpluses Wisely, and Government vs. the Press
Plus: The problems with digital textbooks and more management news
June 29, 2012
The Public’s Problem with Performance Measurements
The average citizen isn’t interested in government-tracked measurements. But if it’s results-based data that directly affects their lives, they might be.
June 21, 2012
Requiring a Doctor's Note, Tax Rates vs. Growth, and Performance in Beantown
Plus: A well-written plea for audtiting, and more management news
June 7, 2012
Residency Requirements, Connecting Citizens to Performance Reporting, and the Problem with Surveys
Plus: Questions about restructuring, and more management news
May 31, 2012
Performance Measurement Improves the Quality of Health Care
Quality measures are transforming everything from billing practices to patient behavior.
May 17, 2012
Obstacles to Results-Based Management, the Erosion of Analytic Capability, and the Hazards of Municipal-Guaranteed Debt
Plus: Life in the 'burbs, and more management news
May 3, 2012
Sustaining Performance Systems, Keeping Up With Day Care, and the Problem with Readmission Rates
Plus: Patient-ranked doctors and more management news
April 30, 2012
Government Performance Auditors at Risk of Becoming Endangered
Many governments have shifted into reverse, cutting and even eliminating auditing offices.
April 19, 2012
Results-Based Barriers, Robbing Peter to Save Paul Money, and the Power of Bad Data
Plus: A scathing Rhode Island audit, and more management news
April 5, 2012
Putting Data to Use, Paying Cops to Shoot and the Politics of Revenue Estimates
Plus: Wise words from a former dicator, and more management news
March 30, 2012
Government Fleets’ Costs Driven Down with Technology Tools
The technology is there, but many state and local agencies still aren’t using it.
March 22, 2012
Sick Time for Overtime: Public-Sector Officials Weigh In
Should governments count paid leave toward overtime?
March 22, 2012
Workforce Planning in Washington, Iffy Stats for Private Prisons, and Wasting Money on College Dropouts
Plus: Linking forms and outcomes, and more management news
March 8, 2012
Competing With the Feds, Filing Your Email and Sell-By Dates for Data
Plus: Getting it right on overtime, and more management news
February 29, 2012
Is Government Consolidation Always Good?
In tight times, governments push for more centralization. But it doesn’t always produce the positive results that are hoped for.
February 23, 2012
When Pilot Programs Crash and Burn, Getting Sick Over Sick Time, and the Problem with Fiscal Notes
Plus: Tricky tax incentives, and more management news
February 9, 2012
Overtime for Sick Time, States' Off-Cycle Fiscal Plans, and Knowing What You're Buying
Plus: No love for committees, and more management news
January 31, 2012
'Constraints Management' Breaks Down Barriers to Efficiency
Government efficiency initiatives come and go. But Utah has had continued success with one in particular.
January 19, 2012
Top Issues for 2012, Library User Fees and Charging for School Buses
Plus: A better way to rate hospital care, and more management news
January 19, 2012
Evaluation of Evaluations
Do public employee appraisals actually accomplish anything?
January 5, 2012
Management Resolutions, States' Varied CAFRs, and an Energy-Saving Tool
Plus: Employee self-motivation and more management news
January 1, 2012
Fighting Government Fraud
How much fraud actually occurs is debatable, but the benefits of eliminating it are clear. And many governments are taking steps to stop schemes, scams and public-sector swindles.
December 8, 2011
The Reliability of Performance Appraisals, Ads on Chicago City Property, and the Cost of Employee Turnover
Plus: Welfare rules in the 50 states, and more management news.
November 30, 2011
In Government We Don’t Trust
People have gradually lost trust in government. How can public leaders get it back?
November 17, 2011
Reading the Fine Print on Financials, A Gold-Plated Tunnel in San Diego, and a Useful Source for Public Policy News
Plus: Assessing corruption in the public sector, and more management news
November 3, 2011
Balanced-Budget Bollocks, The Price Tag of Transparency, and Tracking Government Collaborations
Plus: Questions about pension investments, and more management news
October 31, 2011
Performance Auditors Lose Influence in Tight Times
Groups that assess the value of government programs inevitably make some enemies. That’s one reason the programs are always first on the chopping block.
October 20, 2011
Cost-Savings of Telecommuting, the Perils of Part-Timers, and a Council Meeting Erupts
Plus: The soothing power of shelter dogs, and more management news
October 6, 2011
Facebook in Government, The Value of Coloring Books, and Defining 'Waste, Fraud and Abuse'
Plus: Cheaper tech for schools, and more management news
September 30, 2011
Do States Really Balance Their Budgets?
Loopholes, unexpected expenses and glorified revenue predictions make balanced budgets an unattainable reality for some legislatures.
September 22, 2011
Analysis After the Fact, Why DOTs Should Act Like Retail Stores, and Slippery Stats on Road Safety
Plus: Defining a good boss, and more management news
September 8, 2011
Tablet Computer Takeover, The Plight of Small Counties, and Ethics Laws
Focusing on the budget minutiae, and more management news
August 31, 2011
Small Energy-Efficiency Investments Add Up
States and cities are finding that even the simplest tasks, like switching to LED streetlight bulbs, can result in significant savings.
August 18, 2011
Stressed on the Job, Go-to Sources for Econ, and the Danger of Pretty Data
Plus: Emphasizing the individual, and more management news
July 29, 2011
Measuring the Efficiency of Courts
Municipalities in more than a dozen states are using tools to gauge their courts’ speed, accessibility and reliability in administering justice.
July 21, 2011
Disagreeing with Your Boss
B&G Readers sound off on whether it's okay to go up against the man or woman in charge.
July 21, 2011
States' Self-Promotion, Mobile Phone Math, and Explaining Tax Expenditures
Plus: Sounding off on disagreeing with the boss, and more management news
July 7, 2011
Research Help, More Audit Cuts, and Good News for Greener Cities
Plus: Misconduct in the school cafeteria, and more management news
June 30, 2011
Across-The-Board Budget Cuts May Not Bring Real Savings
When states determine to make some kind of cut with regard to agencies, it's important to differentiate between them.
June 23, 2011
Disagreeing with Your Boss, the State Bailout Fallacy, and Misleading Crime Stats
Plus: Harmful transparency and more management news
June 9, 2011
The Trials of Transparency, The Trouble with Assuming, and a New Government Wiki
Plus: Four-day school weeks and more management news
June 9, 2011
It's Not All Politics with YouTube's 'Town Hall'
The new website empowers citizens to make their decisions based on the issues and not the party that supports them.
June 2, 2011
Ticked at Tech: Your Responses
B&G readers sound off on their frustrations with on-the-job technology.
May 31, 2011
What's a Pension Perk Worth?
Employers can't pinpoint what the real value of retiree benefits is to them.
May 19, 2011
The Taxation Ink-Blot Test, Twittering Cities, and Still Ticked at Tech
Plus: Shared services and more management news
May 19, 2011
B&G Interview: Frank Fairbanks, former City Manager of Phoenix
A discussion with a veteran of local level public service.
May 5, 2011
Ticked Off at Technology, Let's Get Fiscal, and a Lesson from Bangladesh
Plus: Too much certainty, and more management news
April 29, 2011
When is a Shortfall a Budget Gap and Not a Budget Deficit?
The distinctions between gaps and deficits can show just how dire a city or state's condition is.
April 21, 2011
Effective Motivation, the 'Sanctity' of Surveys, and Demand-Based Pricing
Plus: Learning from successes, and more management news
April 7, 2011
Overselling the Economic Crisis, Transcript Tribulations, and Furlough Follies
Plus: An update on government swag, and more management news
April 7, 2011
Government Swag: Pros and Cons
Local leaders differ on whether government-branded freebies and trinkets are worth the money.
March 31, 2011
Effectively Engaging the Public
There's more to keeping in touch with constituents than public hearings.
March 17, 2011
Leading by Example, Repairing New Orleans' Government, And Race to the Top Reforms
Plus: Who to follow on Twitter, and more management news
March 3, 2011
Swag Smack-Down, Confusing Food Stamp Math, And Counting Elephants
Plus: Police Unions in Wisconsin, And More Management News
March 1, 2011
The Legislative Funding Flaw
When state legislatures pass new programs but don't fund them, they may do more harm than good.
February 17, 2011
Dashboard Confessionals, Eliminating Duplicative Services, and Henry Ford on Innovation
Plus: Watching California's Jerry Brown, and more management news
February 3, 2011
When Social Media Works Best, The Illinois Outlier, And Bankruptcy Boogeymen
Plus: Good News for Counties, And More Management News
February 1, 2011
Using Data to Guide Education Policymaking
Louisiana learns to use information about its students to create real-life benefits for them.
January 20, 2011
Making the Case for Tax Incentives, Slowing Health Spending, and The Price of a Life
Plus: A Small Victory for Detroit, And More Management News
January 6, 2011
Obstinate Outliers, GPS Trackers and Insufficient Audits
Plus: Recommended reading, short-term thinking and more management news
January 1, 2011
Overseeing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
As the feds help states and cities, a new relationship may be developing.
December 16, 2010
Working for Big Brother, Performance in Portland, And the Cash Myth
Plus: Giving oversight some teeth, looking at some pretty graphics, and more management news
December 2, 2010
Cutting Medicaid Costs, The Problem With Vision, And Scary Thoughts on Schools
Plus: Manager must-reads, the importance of good data, and more management news
December 1, 2010
Administrative Cuts Affect Governments' Functionality
Deep managerial workforce cuts change how tightly and rightly governments run.
November 18, 2010
Why The Public Distrusts Government, The 'Best' Performance Measures, And More
Plus: measuring student achievement, balancing state budgets, and more management news.
November 4, 2010
Getting Citizens to Care, Fixing Civics Education, And How Government is Like a Hockey Puck
Plus: The cost of rules, how bikes saves lives, and more management news.
November 1, 2010
Prioritizing and Revamping the Budgeting Process
States and localities should prioritize top goals and revamp the budgeting process.
October 21, 2010
Unruly Rules, Preaching Against Government Waste, And Legislating Inoculations
Plus: City Budget Cuts, Stimulus Strains, And More Management News
October 7, 2010
Grading on a Curve, Setting Goals in Public, And Cutting for Tax Cuts
Plus: A New Budget Gimmick, And More Management News
October 1, 2010
Forgetting the Economic Cycle Already?
In boom times, states forget the bust years. That’s worrisome as revenues show signs of life.
Workplace Stress, When Innovations Fail, And Technology Etiquette
Plus: Payday Fraud, Citizen-Driven Budgeting, and More Management News
Hospital Errors, Public/Private Partnerships and Flexibility on Vacation Time
Plus: Performance evaluations, the challenge of cell phones and government, and more management news.
Governments Need to Get to Know Their Vendors
Before contracting out a government function, a jurisdiction must have solid information about a firm's performance.
A Snitch in Time
Plus: The power of comfort, Florida's liquor-lag, and more.
Tethered by Technology?
A handful of B&G Report readers speak out about the positives and negatives of devices that allow them to stay in touch with their work around the clock.
Half-a-Billion in Waste?
Plus: Making Commissions Useful, Counting Contracts, And More
Partnering Up: Public-Private Partnerships
Partnering for value can be great for a state or city, but the devil is in the details.
The Stimulus Scare
Plus: Health Care Misconceptions, Performance Management Uncertainties, And More
Does Handheld Tech Actually Make Your Job Harder?
Plus: Relaxing Oversight on State Contracts, Making Referendum Signatures Public, And More
Goodbye to Good Research
Funding for state programs that research and analyze long-term issues is dwindling.
When Spending Really Is Out of Control
Plus: Progress on Hospital Infections, Another Bunch of Bad Co-Workers, And More
The Five Worst Types of Government Workers
Plus: Fees for Special Treatment, Sin-Tax Errors, And More
Telecommuting's Sluggish Adoption
Working from home has been touted as the future, so why isn't it catching on faster?
New Technology Can Be Tempting, But Don't Go For More Than You Can Handle
Plus: Imperiled Public Health Agencies, the Importance of Statistics, And More
Tracking Return-on-Investment for Higher Ed
Plus: Public-Private Partnerships, The End of the Rubber Room, And More
When Public Officials Play Hide and Seek
The low-tech telephone plays a key role in keeping government connected to citizens. Too bad, officials never pick up. (Photo: Chris Campbell/Flickr CC)
Tweeting Your Way to Better Management
Plus: Kentucky Loses a Resource, Texas Loses Some Fireworks, And More
Fiscal Fireworks
When we suggested fireworks displays are community-building events that shouldn't be eliminated, some of our readers lit up like the Fourth of July.
Civics Education Programs Around the Country
Here's a sampling of some courses and publications designed to educate young citizens about how government works.
Does Rudeness Get Results?
Plus: Civics Boot Camps, Quotables, And More
An Unproductive Bump
During layoffs, the effect of 'bumping rights' on the workplace is more than demoralizing.
When Budget Cuts Threaten a Sense of Community
Plus: Overworked Officers, Unanticipated Outcomes, And More
When Officials Play Hide-and-Seek
Plus: The magic of checklists, the non-jobs effects of the stimulus, and more
New Revenue, New Concerns
Contingency fee contracts are becoming hot, but have their limits.
Looking for Civics Lessons
Plus: Planning for the end of the stimulus, the D.A.R.E. problem, and more
Closing the Tech Gap
Plus: Walkability scores, e-mail advice, and more
Fatally-Flawed Mortality Statistics
Inaccurate information on death certificates impacts how states allocate health-care funds.
Looking for E-mail Wisdom
Plus: Budget tricks, taco cooperation, and more
Putting the Context in Context
Plus: The stimulus vs. productivity, the "anchoring effect," and more
Awaiting the Meaning of Waiting Lists
They are supposed to give you solid information about program demand. Instead, they mislead the public.
The Stimulus Dilemma: Creating Jobs vs. Boosting Productivity
Plus: The phantom toll road, red-light camera accidents, and more
The Buck Stops Where?
Plus: The jargon divide, even more questionable stimulus spending, and more
Government and the Stress Mess
Layoffs and furloughs are taking a toll on those who are still on the job.
Taxi Triumphs
Plus: Unreported swine flu stats, outsourced water bills, and more
Public Dollars, Private Perks and a Bouquet of Criticism
Is it ever okay to buy get-well-soon flowers with taxpayer money?
Recession: Not the Time to Gut Employee Training Programs
Plus: The final word on flowers, the perils of bad data, and more
The States' Stupid Budget Tricks
This year may set a record for gimmicks they used to balance their books.
Private Perks are Nice, But Not at Public Expense
Overstated savings, underestimated budgets, and more
Public Spending: Is a Little Warmth a Good Investment?
Plus: The problem with school vending machines, a technology reality check, and more
The Management Challenge of Bad Data
Obstacles to coming up with solid, accurate numbers to measure program performance are all over the place.
For Good Data, Context Counts
Robbing pensions to pay Paul, making customers happy while they wait, and more
When Revenues Don't RSVP
Plus: Useless news bulletins, the tweeting-texting-traffic conundrum, and more.
Few Payoffs for Overtime Pay
It can be a drag on pensions and the bottom line.
Dusty Data
Plus: Getting a fix on the price of government, one state that's all smiles right now, and more
Recession Aggression
Keeping an eye on California, how most states are bungling stimulus accountability, and more
Bidding Boards Goodbye
Boards and commissions can be expensive--whether or not they meet.
Going Too Far on Furloughs?
Plus: The big pencil, the pressure to appear overloaded, and more
When Tech Advancements Are Really Retreats
Plus: Under-reporting homicides, under-sharing best practices, and more
Performance Rules
Managing for results is making a bigger difference during this downturn.
Which Tech is Dreck?
Plus: The questionable effectiveness of tax incentives, what happens when pilots fly blind, and more
Putting Performance in Child-Welfare Services
Plus: Whether CEOs matter, the public-private slowdown, and more
Who Should Fix the Potholes?
Sometimes it saves money to outsource government work. But don't assume that.
What Public Managers Want
Readers of the B&G Report tell the top two qualities they're looking for in an employee.
Those Two Little Management Words
Plus: The possible demise of a performance institution, management lessons from a weight-loss program, and more
May 20, 2009
Manager's Reading List
A running list of must-reads for public managers, suggested by readers of The B&G Report
Insight on Incentives
Plus: Paying for snitches, the power of putting data on a map, and more
No Time for Budget Busting
Stimulus or no stimulus, cost overruns are as dangerous as ever.
What Do Public Managers Want?
Plus: saving on Medicaid, the problem with building consensus, and more
Using Stimulus Funds for Parks
Readers of the B&G Report respond to the idea of using federal stimulus dollars for quality-of-life projects.
Stimulating Conversation on Parks and Golf Courses
Plus: Adaptability and flexibility, California's new stimulus watchdog, and more
The Vacancy Game
An odd route to budgeting flexibility comes from banking unfilled job slots.
A Stimulus Hole-in-One
Plus: Taxes vs. fees, unaccountable accountability, and more
March 8, 2009
Measuring Livability and Performance
The Oregon Progress Board was created in the late 1980s to develop statewide livability indicators and monitor progress on Oregon's statewide strategic plan. It certainly...
"Silly" Stimulus Spending
Plus: The balanced-budget myth, Oregon's progressive Progress Board, and more
Coming Together, Breaking Apart
To consolidate or not to consolidate: a puzzling question.
Park That Stimulus!
Plus: How informing patients can lower Medicaid costs, a great resource for performance reporting, and more
When Program Funds Go Awry
Plus: Improving 311 systems, the pain of conference calls, and more
The Lure of the Layoff
There are plenty of costly mistakes to make when you try to balance a budget through personnel freezes, cuts or early retirements.
December 31, 2008
Plugging Leaks
Fifteen years ago, when a new business tried to put down roots in Kansas, the business owner had to mail in a paper registration and...
A Gift List for Managers
Plus: How to fix failed institutions, keeping track of budget cuts, and more
Opposite Day
Plus: A state-city disconnect, an entirely unscientific poll about performance measures, and more
Afraid to Fire?
Plus: The problem with a one-year check-up, unspent money in Tulsa, and more
The Election's Over: Time to Start Worrying
Plus: The decline of the citizen survey, using the Web to change attitudes about government, and more
The Sweet Spot in Sour Times
When times are tough, politicians and managers have the cover to make hard choices.
A Simple Idea for Saving on Health-care costs
Plus: Losing credit in Hartford, fed-state stat spat, and more
October 15, 2008
Many Happy Tax Returns
States and the federal government might be able to save a fair amount of money if they paid attention to some developments in Oregon, according...
Management Prognostications
Plus: Our own predictions for the year, government's "big pencil," and more
Executioner's Song
There is a lot of fanfare when a new program is signed into law. But then, it disappears from sight. Why is that?
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Managing
Plus: A Good Idea from Oregon, the truth about state "wellness programs," and more
The Face of Government
Plus: State boards in limbo, the power of picking up the phone, and more
B&G Interview: Questions for Bob Wise
A conversation with the former West Virginia governor and the current president of the Alliance for Excellent Education
Assessing a Hot Button
Some of the problems with property taxes could be solved on the management end.
The Problem with Acronyms
Plus: Managers Reading List, training for waving a flag, and more
Letting It All Hang Out
The latest political buzzword is transparency. But it may not be the cure-all it's cracked up to be.
When Technology Gets You Down
Plus: Looking for a date, flawed state audits, and more
The Often Fictional Organization Chart
Plus: States giving cities the shaft, letting citizens sit on pension boards, and more
Learning from Losers
Best practices are all well and good. We make a case for a center to study the worst.
Do States Care About Cities?
Plus: Low ethical standards, the Rubber Room, and more
B&G Interview: Questions for John Turcotte
A conversation with one of the nation's top experts on program evaluations
Is Your Government an Ethical Place?
Plus: Generational conflicts in the workplace, how building maintenance reduces staff turnover, and more
The Meeting Morass
There are way too many of them, they take too long and don't accomplish much. Can meetings be fixed?
Do Politics Get in the way of Sensible Initiatives?
Plus: Telecommuting breeds discontent, sick public-sector workers, and more
December 31, 2007
Growth & Taxes
It's been known for a long time that obsolete state tax systems are not producing the revenue states need. But what's becoming clear today is...
December 31, 2007
Breathing Room
On January 29, Florida's voters will decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment -- sent to them by the state legislature -- that would set sharp...
December 31, 2007
Baiting Hooks
Tax incentives have long been endorsed as the highway to prosperity -- attracting businesses, providing jobs and enriching the state. That's been conventional wisdom in...
December 31, 2007
Staying Stable
We'd always take a tax cut, of course," says David Johnson, the former chairman of the Ohio Manufacturers' Association. Nothing surprising in those words, but...
Keeping Meetings Meaningful
Plus: Roadblocks to shared services, private-sector succession planning, and more
The Future Is Now
It's one thing to attract young people to government jobs. It's another to keep them there.
Public Managers' Time-Vampires
Plus: Why to avoid group e-mails, taxing other states' muni bonds, and more
Why Do Employees Leave the Public Sector?
Plus: Public vs. private salaries, sharing data over the Web, and more
An Accidental Outcome
When officials act quickly to solve a problem, they may fail to look at the long-term effects -- and those can create new complications.
The Coffee-Stain Index
Plus: Higher-than-expected turnover, the importance of old-fashioned written materials, and more
Reasons for Leaving
Plus: A great tool for performance reporting, our Journalist of the Month Award, and more
An Ounce of Encouragement
Some states and localities are taking steps to get constituents to do what they ought to do anyway.
"Low-Hanging Fruit" and Other Annoying Phrases
Plus: Overly expensive -- and overly designed -- logos, the Philadelphia Productivity Bank, and more
Don't Ask
The more thoroughly you measure the depths of any problem, the bigger
that problem will appear to be.
B&G Interview: Questions for Carlos Alvarez and George Burgess
A conversation with the mayor and county manager of Miami-Dade
Nerve-wracking Government Jargon
Plus: Unacceptably low graduation rates, the "paperful" office, and more
The Listening Post
One of the toughest things for states or localities to do is get bona fide input from citizens on how they're doing.
How to Get Employees to Sign Up for a "Voluntary" Effort
Plus: The broadband ZIP-code gap, transportation safety for emergency responders, and more
B&G Interview: Questions for Laura Chick
A conversation with the controller for the city of Los Angeles
The Future of Performance Management
Plus: The price of promptness, the problem with playing it safe, and more
B&G Interview: Questions for John Cape
A conversation with former New York Governor George Pataki's budget director.
March 1, 2007
Numbers, Crunched
If budgets are financial plans, then CAFRs tell you what happened to
the plan. So why don't more people pay attention to them?
Do You Know What You Own?
A surprising number of states and localities don't have the kind of inventory of their assets that a decent shoe store has.
Speed Limits
Response time is the easiest but not necessarily the best measure of
performance.
When Boomers Retire
A number of states are looking to career-building programs to grow
their workforces of the future.
Short on Oversight
States and localities are outsourcing more of their services, but
management of the contracts is in dire need of an upgrade.
Plugging In
Performance measures are finally being taken out of the box and
applied to agency plans and budgets.
Gaming the Numbers
Many of the statistics policy makers use today are set in concrete but
made of quicksand.
Time For A Check Up
An independent performance audit can help an agency deliver services
more efficiently and effectively.
Apples to Umbrellas
Criteria and formulas for basic performance measures are so varied,
comparing data from one state to another is often a fruitless
exercise.
Loving a Loser
Award-winning programs usually spawn copycats, but there may be good
ideas to replicate from innovative projects that falter.
Cashing Out
Our household is just like a state: good at forecasting revenue, but
when it comes to expenditures, things get dicier.
A Balancing Act
Contracting out services can benefit the bottom line, but not always.
The trick is to figure out when it does and doesn't.
A Little Less Input, Please
Gathering all the public input you can may sound like a good idea, but
it's often more of a pain than a panacea.
November 1, 2004
A Mental Case
Even as doubts grow about using performance data in budgeting, mental
health agencies provide fresh evidence of the benefits.
September 1, 2004
Checking Out Reality
One of the easiest ways to balance a budget is simply to predict
savings that may or may not ever come to pass.
July 1, 2004
Forward Pass
It's important to understand that five-year forecasts are going to be
wrong, but it's good to do them anyway.
May 1, 2004
Applauding a Performance
A new report can help agency officials and lawmakers use performance
measures more effectively.
March 1, 2004
When Less Is Not More
Some agencies don't gather data that could help them manage better--
because it might make them look bad.
February 1, 2004
A Case of Neglect
Why Health Care Is Getting Worse, Even Though Medicine Is Getting
Better
January 1, 2004
Going for the Goal
Applying the principles of managing for results to running a child's
soccer team leads to some unexpected outcomes.
November 1, 2003
A Heads Up On Hype
Overselling a project can have unfortunate consequences, among them
earning the distrust of legislators.
September 1, 2003
Bye, Bye Early Bird
A late budget is a clear sign that unproductive politics are
overwhelming a government's sensible management.
July 1, 2003
In-House Outlaws
Catching every bit of fraud in government can result in what a county
official calls 'spending a dime to chase a nickel.'
May 1, 2003
The Prized Employee
Governments are in the position of trying to reward good performers--
without being able to give raises or bonuses.
March 1, 2003
Coming To Terms
Fuzzy language is a big impediment to good management--and to
understanding the way government really works.
January 1, 2003
A Data Deficiency
The lack of good information to help voters make intelligent decisions
on ballot measures is startling.
November 1, 2002
Making Comparisons
People may not care how clean the average street is, but they sure
want to know how their street compares to others.
September 1, 2002
You Can't Bank On It
When a state or local agency has money left at the end of the year, a
spendthrift mentality tends to take over.
July 1, 2002
Proof Positive
Louisiana has undergone a sea change in the use of performance
information. Managing for results is working there.
May 1, 2002
Control Freaks
States and localities probably spend more money enforcing incredibly
restrictive rules than they lose on waste and fraud.
January 1, 2002
The Terminator
Even for those governments that have mechanisms to hasten the firing
process, it can still be laborious to get rid of deadwood.
November 1, 2001
Bad-News Budgeting
When revenues dry up, states and localities tend to make cuts that
leave them less able to deliver services effectively.
September 1, 2001
Ending the Gotcha Game
The more managers are free to admit an impending failure without fear
of being throttled, the better off a government will be.
July 1, 2001
The Good Book
A new report on making results-based state government work is chock-
full of commonsense recommendations.
May 1, 2001
Getting the Grouse Out
Problems crop up when the grievance process is so complex and time-
consuming that it stifles managers and employees.
March 1, 2001
Paying the Bill
States need a more careful process of estimating the future financial
impact of legislation before legislators pass it.
January 1, 2001
Training Wheels
Most states can't tell you, with any authority, how much agencies
spend on training or how wisely they spend it.
November 1, 2000
Resume Follies
Credentials may be important, but the skills, abilities, knowledge and
behavior of applicants are at least equally so.
September 1, 2000
Keeping Secrets
Regardless of real-world pressures, data should be made public. Absent
good information, bad information will prevail.
July 1, 2000
Truth in Measurement
Verifying the accuracy of statistics generated by performance measures
seems to be the last step in the process.
May 1, 2000
The Centralization Continuum
States and local governments have been swinging like a pendulum
between powerful and weak central controls.
March 1, 2000
The Rise of Cost Accounting
Governments are finally beginning to figure out how to develop solid
figures for the cost of the services they provide.
January 1, 2000
Suggestion-Box Sickness
Employee idea boxes seem like an obvious way to foster the ballyhooed
notion of `continuous improvement.' So why don't they work?