Posts Tagged: state and local

Learn Some State and Local Trivia!

Ever wanted to play on Jeopardy? Whether you have or haven’t, I’m sure you would love to to impress your friends and family with some newly acquired knowledge about state and local governments. In this week’s State and Local Spotlight we have some state and local fast facts for you.  Question: Where does the oneRead… Read more »

State and Local’s Innovation Challenges

Each state has its own agenda, priorities, initiatives, and challenges, but what all states can agree on is the need for innovation. But it’s not easy as budgets and resources continue to shrink and employees find the need to adapt to new technologies. Even thinking about innovation can be an uphill battle for state andRead… Read more »

How Does Your State Fare? Women at the State and Federal Level

One hundred years ago, the first woman was elected to serve in Congress. On November 9, 1916, Jeannette Rankin (R-MT) was elected to serve as Montana’s Representative-at-Large in the House of Representatives during the 65th Congress. In the subsequent century, 312 more women have been elected or appointed to serve in our country’s legislative body.Read… Read more »

Human-Centered Design in New York City

In New York City, unlike in many other localities, students get to pick where they go to high school. That selection process usually takes place in the sixth or seventh grade, so that students have ample time to meet qualifications and complete a lengthy application process. Formerly, that process was based on one compendium ofRead… Read more »

Budget Transparency Isn’t Always Transparent…

Be honest, have you ever looked at your state budget? Probably not. And if you do, the complicated figures and numbers probably intimidated you. But there is hope. One of the co-authors of a recent report for the Volcker Alliance, titled Beyond the Basics: Best Practices in State Budget Transparency, Richard Greene, Special Projects AdvisorRead… Read more »

The Silver Tsunami is Coming

This interviewee was featured in our recent guide, Understanding State and Local Government. To read the guide, click here.  We’ve all heard about the aging workforce. The state of Pennsylvania is no exception to the statistics that tell us that well over a third of their workforce will be eligible to retire over the nextRead… Read more »

Cybersecurity, Money, and Success

Both interviewees were featured in our recent guide, Understanding State and Local Government. To read the guide, click here.  It’s often true that throwing money at a problem won’t solve it, but sometimes it does help. At least, when you have a multiyear (expensive) strategy that you need to effectively implement. That was the case for theRead… Read more »

Illinois Makes the Business Case for Customer Service

Oftentimes customer service is an afterthought for overworked, under-budgeted and underappreciated states. And citizens are obligated to use government services, so why does the experience matter? Why waste the money? It matters, says Illinois Chief Information Officer Hardik Bhatt because, “governments don’t go out of business, but businesses go out of government.” In 2013, IllinoisRead… Read more »

You’re Hired! Cyber Pros Needed!

In the wake of countless breaches, state chief information officers (CIOs) are attempting to hire a more robust cybersecurity staff. But it’s not easy. One of the major stumbling blocks is the lack of talented cyber professionals-this is especially true at the state and local level.  Historically, CIOs have typically been viewed as the managersRead… Read more »