These are the biggest policies and problems that states will confront this year.

Republicans have the governorship and the state House in Iowa, but Democrats have Mike Gronstal, who adheres to the old-fashioned sense that voters elect politicians to work on policy before retreating to their respective partisan corners.

Just like in Washington last year, Pennsylvania state lawmakers are still struggling to produce a state budget and avoid a partial government shutdown.

Over the past two decades, corporations have doubled their profits but contributed increasingly less to state revenues. Where is all the money going?

The small, rural town of Gifford, S.C., survives with help from just 12 enthusiastic public employees -- most of whom aren't even paid.