2014's Top 10 Legislative Issues to Watch

It’s a tough time to be a politician, but these state lawmakers are really making a mark. BY Louis Jacobson

Since we last published a list of 12 state legislators to watch in January 2012, we’ve seen one legislator rocket to national stardom, two abruptly, and voluntarily, leave politics altogether and the rest continue to soldier on in the political trenches. BY Louis Jacobson

Private-sector actors are reshaping the center of some cities in ways local governments no longer have the ability to do themselves. BY Alan Greenblatt

Municipal officials and entrepreneurs see the power of cultural events as a way to spur short-term tourism while shaping an image of the host city as a cool, dynamic location where companies and citizens in modern, creative industries can thrive. BY Chad Kaydo

As the No Child Left Behind era ends and Common Core begins, two education heavyweights face-off over what we’ve learned and where we’ve gone wrong. BY John Buntin