Cover Story
The Long Road to Recovery After Years of Severe Budget Cuts
BY Alan Greenblatt
Eight years of state government atrophy may be coming to an end in Kansas. But it will take a long time, and quite a bit of pain.
FEATURES
Urban
What Cities Can Learn From Burning Man
The annual gathering is a radical experiment in urban design that rebuilds itself in the desert every year -- with the help of its residents.
BY Zach Patton
Urban
8 Ways to Make Your City More Like Burning Man
From building public art to creating "sacred spaces," the annual event is inspiring leaders across America.
BY Zach Patton
Management & Labor
After Federal Minimum Wage Bill Advances, What’s the Future of the Fight for $15?
The policy is already law in some states and cities, and has become a talking point for Democratic leaders and presidential candidates. But while it has helped lift some Americans out of poverty, it has cost others their jobs.
BY Graham Vyse
Public Safety & Justice
How Cities Are Bringing 911 Into the 21st Century
Community paramedicine is changing the way some places respond to health emergencies.
BY Mattie Quinn
Infrastructure & Environment
The Parking Garages of the Future
As many of them fall into disrepair, some are adapting to cities' changing needs.
BY David Kidd
OBSERVER
Politics & Elections
More Than 700: Why So Many People Are Running for Office in Seattle This Year
A booming population and new campaign finance options have brought out a record number of candidates.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Management & Labor
A License for a Lemonade Stand? States Rethink Business Licensing
The debate is playing out around the country but has been most controversial in Texas.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Public Safety & Justice
America Has a Health-Care Crisis — in Prisons
Privatization and years of inadequate resources have left the incarcerated population with abysmal medical care.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Assessments
The Democrats’ Biggest Problem for 2020 — and Beyond
By clustering in cities, even small ones, they have weakened their political impact.
BY Alan Ehrenhalt
Washington Watch
Red America, Blue America: Why Political Polarization Will Only Worsen
Liberal and conservative states are both stirring things up. Very different things.
BY Donald F. Kettl
Urban Notebook
It's Time for Suburbs to Talk About Race
They face a growing list of challenges as they diversify.
BY Pete Saunders
Management & Labor
Where Nonprofits Are Most Prevalent in America
When a community is in fiscal trouble, nonprofits are often a big help. But some places have far fewer of them.
BY Mike Maciag
THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT
Smart Management
How Breaking Down Silos in Government Can Make Things Worse
Sometimes attempts to collaborate create unforeseen problems.
BY Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
On Leadership
Government Purchasers Could Do Far More to Help Minority-Owned Businesses
They need to correct the long history of discrimination baked into the system.
BY Mark Funkhouser
Public Money
The Change That Could Shift Public Opinion on Taxes
We’ve been wary of taxation since the Boston Tea Party. New finance ethics rules will help.
BY Justin Marlowe
Transportation & Infrastructure
Does Your City Have a Delivery-Truck Policy? It Should.
Booming e-commerce is congesting streets.
BY Alex Marshall
Infrastructure & Environment
First Bags Then Straws: The Next Front in the War on Plastic
States are wading into what used to be a local issue, and styrofoam containers are their next target in the effort to reduce waste that pollutes the environment.
BY Daniel C. Vock
Infrastructure & Environment
Georgia’s Most Visited Tourist Attraction Is Also Its Most Controversial
Photos and musings from our photographer.
BY David Kidd
