As cities seek new ways to save money, more and more are requiring their employees to bid against the private sector for work in a process known as “managed competition.”

Which areas have the worst traffic on Friday afternoons? View data for 100 metro areas.

Social impact bonds are a relatively new financial instrument that promises to earn returns for investors while giving state and local governments the upfront capital they need to pursue money-saving programs.

One man’s test of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure along the West Coast highlights the hurdles ahead for states and localities in meeting the Obama administration’s new fuel efficiency rules.

State and local governments have sued banks, claiming that they cheated them out of enormous investment returns at a time when their budgets were already badly damaged from the recession.