Public art is a great thing, not least because of its ability to communicate complex ideas through symbolism. That was on the minds of city officials in the San Francisco suburb of Livermore, California, when they completed a new public library a few years ago and commissioned a $40,000 mural near the entrance to portray the tree of knowledge, with small portraits in its branches of great artists, writers, scientists and other historic figures.

Medicaid contract for disease management fails a fiscal test.

Economists have a reputation for being cool and dispassionate, but a few phrases or concepts have the capacity to turn even the meekest of them into hectoring ideologues, exasperated with the inability of others to exercise simple common sense.

A free system could help states and localities improve the way they alert responders and residents to emergencies.

Even as doubts grow about using performance data in budgeting, mental health agencies provide fresh evidence of the benefits.