Cover Story
Who Ruined Illinois?
BY Daniel C. Vock
Everyone knows the state is a mess. It wasn’t always that way.
FEATURES
Education
How Higher Ed Became a Partisan Wedge Issue
As states debate the purpose of public universities, some say politics is playing an outsized role.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Management & Labor
Taking on Walmart Is No Easy Fight for Cities
Some towns have tried to force certain big-box retailers to pay higher wages.
BY J.B. Wogan
Finance
How Cities Fell Out of Love With Sports Stadiums
Major league teams used to get everything they wanted from sports-mad cities. Now they have to fight for it -- and increasingly, they’re losing.
BY Liz Farmer
Health & Human Services
Loneliness May Be a Bigger Public Health Threat Than Smoking or Obesity
Governments are just starting to confront the issue.
BY Mattie Quinn
OBSERVER
Finance
Is Selling Tax-Free Liquor Tax Evasion?
As out-of-staters flock to New Hampshire to stock up on alcohol, its neighboring states think so.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Health & Human Services
One State’s Opioid Success Story
In just one year, Rhode Island reduced the overdose death rate among former prisoners by 61 percent.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Management & Labor
When Blue-Collar Jobs Disappear, White-Collar Workers Leave
Some places are losing more lawyers and accountants than factory workers.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Management & Labor
Want to Work in a Morgue? You Might Already Qualify.
In some states, the minimal requirements are leading to inaccurate reports of homicides and suicides.
BY Alan Greenblatt
POLITICS + POLICY
Washington Watch
It’s Time for Governments to Try Federalism Again
Our toughest problems can’t be solved unless we learn to work together.
BY Peter Harkness
Assessments
Do Traffic Cameras Really Make Streets Safer?
They are despised by drivers and many lawmakers.
BY Alan Ehrenhalt
Politics & Elections
State Lawmakers Face Most Challengers in Decades
Recent election cycles have seen more than 40 percent of state legislative seats left uncontested. Not this year.
BY Alan Greenblatt
Public Safety & Justice
Uber to the ER?
Ambulances are expensive. Some cities are beginning to offer other ways to get to the hospital.
BY Mattie Quinn
Infrastructure & Environment
The Controversy Surrounding a Fast-Growing Clean Energy Loan Program
It's meant to help property owners afford energy-efficiency upgrades. But some have concerns over lending standards and consumer protections.
BY Liz Farmer
Transportation & Infrastructure
5 Lessons From the Amazon HQ2 Frenzy
Most places were never going to land the company’s next headquarters. But there are still some key takeaways for them.
BY Aaron M. Renn
Urban Notebook
How Microtransit Could Transform Cities
As transit systems grow antiquated, cities should try nimbler options.
BY Scott Beyer
PROBLEM SOLVER
Finance
Big Business Tax Breaks May Worsen Income Inequality
Cities that give away the most money in tax incentives tend to be those with greater levels of income inequality.
BY Mike Maciag
Smart Management
Why Do So Many Governments Miss Their Project Deadlines?
Project delays are a huge problem. “Sourcing teams” could be one solution.
BY Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene
On Leadership
What People Get Wrong About ‘Political Will’
It’s not some innate quality -- good leaders must create it.
BY Mark Funkhouser
Public Money
Millennials Pose a Major Problem for States
Demographic trends suggest trouble ahead for government revenues.
BY Frank Shafroth
Public Safety & Justice
Behind the Lens: Out of Prison, Into a Home of Her Own
Photos and musings from our photographer David Kidd.
BY David Kidd
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