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In Michigan and Wisconsin, Some Lawmakers Want to Go Part-Time

Should lawmakers in Michigan and Wisconsin cut their work hours? That’s what some hope to do, as they push constitutional amendments that would convert their states’ full-time legislatures into part-time bodies.

Alabama’s Past, Future on the Ballot

Alabama voters will get the chance this fall to rid their state constitution of antiquated references to the “telegraph” and use of the gold standard and eliminate racist language adopted during the time of Jim Crow laws.

Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law Repeal Headed for Ballot

The Michigan Supreme Court has resolved a dispute about whether opponents of the state’s emergency manager law had used the correct type size on their ballot initiative petitions, which was challenging their validity.

Detroit and Its Unions Fight Over Work Rules

As Detroit’s workforce shrinks, labor and city leaders face tough questions about how to make do with the employees they have left. Antiquated work rules are at the heart of the dispute.

Troubled Times at the State Fair

State Fairs are facing a budget crunch, and one solution is to turn them over to private ownership.

Oklahoma Rejects Bonding for Capitol Renovation

As the legislature adjourns, repairs for the Capitol and state office buildings are put off another year.

Report Touts Privatization Momentum

Report finds that more states are privatizing services.

Crime Labs Struggle With DNA Test Demands

State laboratories are being asked to handle more DNA samples every year. They use federal funding to meet part of the expense, but backlogs persist nevertheless.

Oregon Looks to Shrink Middle Management

An unusual mix of Republicans, Democrats and labor leaders are working together to restructure state government.

States Push to Shake Up Personnel Practices

Civil service rules that haven't changed in decades are being re-assessed by several governors bent on major changes in the system.

Seven Questions for Michigan Governor Rick Snyder

Rick Snyder hasn't followed the confrontational path of many Republican governors elected in 2010. In a Stateline interview, he explains some of his strategies.

Mississippi Republicans Challenge Powers of Attorney General

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood hires lots of outside lawyers. They make a great deal of money for the state, and for themselves. Not everyone is happy with that situation.

New York Poised to Make Major Management Changes

MANAGEMENT BEAT: In his state of the state address on Wednesday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo promised major alterations in both the organization of the public workforce and the day-to-day operations of state agencies.

Five Lessons From Overwhelmed Agencies

Last week, Stateline took an in-depth look at what's causing growing backlogs of work at state agencies across the country. Here are five lessons gleaned from dozens of interviews with state officials, including those who are currently struggling with a backlog and some who have successfully cleared one up.

Overcoming a Backlog: How Texas Conquered a Mountain of Food Stamps Applications

PART THREE OF THREE: Not long ago, Texas was slower than any other state at telling people whether they could receive food stamps. Today, the state ranks near the top. Here's how Texas did it.

Anatomy of a Backlog: How Vermont Fell Behind on Adult Protective Services

PART TWO OF THREE: State systems to protect vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect are straining under growing caseloads and budgets that don't keep pace with the amount of work. Vermont's backlog of 733 open or unassigned cases highlights the depth of the challenges.

Short-Staffed and Budget-Bare, Overwhelmed State Agencies Are Unable to Keep Up

PART ONE OF THREE: States across the country are seeing growing backlogs of work, as shrinking staffs struggle to meet rising demand for some services. From public housing to crime labs, restaurant inspections to court systems, four years of layoffs, furloughs and hiring freezes are beginning to take a toll.

Infographic: State and Local Employment Is Down, But Not Everywhere

State and local governments in two-thirds of the states have reduced their workforces in the past three years. The biggest reductions came in Nevada, Hawaii and Georgia. But other states, led by Wyoming, grew their public sector employment base.

Infographic: How California Redevelopment Agencies Work

Under California law, when cities and counties declare an area blighted, a redevelopment agency takes responsibility for urban renewal.

Infographic: Local Government By The Numbers

There are 89,476 local governments in the United States.

New Policy Means It's Always 'a Great Day in South Carolina'

TODAY'S TAKE: To improve her state's image, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is asking state workers to answer their phones by saying, "It's a great day in South Carolina. How can I help you?" It's not the first time a governor has intervened in state workers' etiquette.

The Arkansas Approach: How One State Has Avoided Fiscal Disaster

Arkansas defaulted on its debt in the 1930s. The painful memory of that experience has been a help to its budget process ever since.

Iowa Centralizing Hiring of State Workers

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Many states are moving toward centralized human resources management systems as a way to cut costs. But in Iowa, the change is largely in response to a series of lawsuits alleging discrimination in hiring, firing and promotions.

As Four-Day Workweek Ends, Utah Opens on Fridays

The nation's most ambitious experiment with an alternative work schedule is over. While many public sector employers offer four-day schedules to some employees, Utah was the only state to try it for most of its workforce.

Minnesota Legislators Try to Prevent Future Shutdowns

TODAY'S TAKE: Now that Minnesota politicians have ended the longest state government shutdown in U.S. history, many are wondering how to avoid such a major disruption in the future.

Clerical Error Eliminates Indiana's Largest State Agency

TODAY'S TAKE: A clerical error in a new state law accidentally abolished Indiana's largest state agency. Governor Mitch Daniels fixed the mistake through an executive order.

New Governors Drive to Reorganize Agencies

An unusually high number of states are debating merging the functions and offices of state government. But consolidation is often easier to do on the organizational chart than it is in real life.

New Jersey Wants Shorter DMV Lines

TRANSPORTATION BEAT: A proposal to reduce wait times to get driver's licenses gets the backing of the agency's chief … Maryland demands more disclosure from a French train operator about its role in the Holocaust … Louisiana's Bobby Jindal kills a highway bill the day it is announced, and other transportation news.

All Public Sector Employees in New Jersey Will Have to Live In-State

MANAGEMENT BEAT: No more commuting from New York and Philadelphia for New Jersey workers … Governments are spending more time collecting and organizing data than using it … A collective bargaining showdown in Nevada, and other management news.

Labor Offer Keeps New Jersey Tolls From Going Private

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Toll collectors will keep jobs but see pay cut by 24 percent … Massachusetts looks to take health care off the bargaining table … Missouri may auction more than 1,000 acres of state property near prisons, and other management news.

A Three-Year College Degree in Ohio?

EDUCATION BEAT: Ohio governor wants colleges to offer three-year degrees ... Idaho ends its legislative session after approving three controversial education bills ... Oregon lawmakers want the governor to double as school superintendent and other education news from state governments.

Minnesota Senate Votes to Shrink State Government

MANAGEMENT BEAT: There may be 15 percent fewer workers in Minnesota state government … California Governor Jerry Brown weighs in with a pension overhaul plan … Nebraska looks to compromise on collective bargaining, and other government management news.

New Michigan Law Increases State Role in Local Government

State-appointed emergency managers will move into depressed local jurisdictions with the power to abrogate labor contracts and even break up local governments if they deem it necessary for community survival.

Costa Mesa's Pink Slip Spending Plan

MANAGEMENT BEAT: A California city lays off nearly half of its workers … Illinois considers taking away bargaining rights for managers ... New Hampshire employers may gain new leverage, and other management and labor news.

Are 'Charter Universities' the Future of State-Funded Higher Ed?

With more budget cuts on the horizon, many flagship universities are warming to a new bargain with state government: In exchange for less state funding, they would get more say in running day-to-day operations as well as the ability to impose some tuition increases.

Focus on Privatization Seen in Ohio Budget Proposal

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Kasich looks to turnpike lease and sale of prisons for savings … Debate over workers' benefits heats up in New Jersey … A public employee union in Oregon pitches ideas for cutting the cost of government, and more management news.

States Get Off Revenue Roller Coaster

Two years ago, tax collections were so volatile that it was hard to tell how much money states had to spend. Now the situation is calming down - and looking more favorable.

Decline in Bond Market Has States Nervous

Investors are wary of buying government bonds right now. Taxpayers may end up bearing losses as a result.

Governors Set the Agenda For a Lean 2011

In yet another tough budget year, the nation's governors are generally setting a course for contracting the ambitions and role of state government.

Even in this Economy, States Struggle to Recruit IT Personnel

MANAGEMENT BEAT: Qualified IT staff remain difficult for states to recruit … Legislators eye state websites for ad revenue … A defined contribution plan may raise pension costs in Kentucky, and other government management news.

For State Lawmakers, Population Growth Has Its Downsides

A decade of growth, especially in Western states, has left lawmakers with far more people than in 2000, according to Census figures. That has made it difficult for some of them to connect to their constituents. It has also created a wide variety in the size of the average district depending on the state.

Jerry Brown Asks Locals to Do More Work

California's new governor has an ambitious plan to turn more responsibility back to the local level. But the locals worry they won't be given enough money to do the job.

How a Small Town's Bond Bust Led to a Model State Debt Policy

Lewisburg, Tennessee, got tangled up in an interest rate swap deal gone bad. As the town of 11,000 wrestles with the fiscal fallout, the state comptroller is forcing local governments to think hard before they engage in exotic investment deals.

Secretaries of State Up the Political Ante

In most American states, the job of secretary of state has long been seen as a largely non-partisan post, invested for the most part with administrative and caretaker duties. A new crop of activists is working hard to change that.

What Do Governors Look For in a Chief of Staff?

Some value administrative skills, while others prefer political savvy, but the one thing all 28 of the nation's new governors can't live without is loyalty.

Are State Lands in Good Hands?

During the housing boom, some Western states turned state lands into a development bonanza. Now that development pressure has subsided, some think states should reform their land policies before growth comes back. Part one of a two-part series.

In Hawaii, an Imbroglio Over an Investment Gone Bad

Hawaii Auditor Marion Higa (left)and Governor Linda Lingle (right) Hawaii holds $1 billion worth of securities that have become nearly impossible to unload since the market froze in 2008. When Auditor Marion Higa (pictured bottom) issued a report looking at the problem, it opened a debate with Governor Linda Lingle (top) about how the state's finances are managed.

Chris Christie's Budget Bruiser

TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey's new governor wants to erase one of the nation's largest budget deficits almost entirely with spending cuts. The governor's proposal has made him a villain to mayors, teachers, superintendents and other public employees. But Christie, perhaps more than any other governor these days, has captured the imagination of conservatives who admire his eagerness to take on powerful public worker unions.

Shaving Costs With Reverse Auctions

It's been a decade since Pennsylvania became the first state to use a technology that is like eBay in reverse to save money on government purchases. But despite the potential to create big savings, only a few states have taken advantage of reverse auctions.

Alabama Bingo Investigation Intensifies

TODAY'S TAKE: Federal officials are probing corruption in Alabama's bingo battle, yet another twist in the convoluted saga over whether the state should allow electronic bingo machines to raise money for local governments or charities. Agents from the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney's office and the FBI say they have found "substantial evidence of corruption" around a legislative battle to formally legalize the bingo machines, which look similar to slot machines, according to The New York Times. On April 11, the Birmingham News reported that at least two lawmakers had worn wires as part of the investigation after they had received offers from bingo lobbyists that they considered bribes.