New & NoteworthyNew Municipal Web Sites, Features, Trends and Recent Discoveries
MuniNet Medley: 2/1/12 - Unemployment Trends, Tracking Health Care Reform, Best Cities for Hospitals, Hard-Hit Cities
Unemployment highs and lows ..... Need help tracking health care reform legislation? ..... Best cities for hospitals ..... Pulltabs could be the key to new Vikings stadium ..... Cities hardest hit by recession… Continue
Illinois Tollway Drivers Help Finance Roadway Improvements
The Illinois Tollway’s $12 billion capital improvement plan aims to create a state-of-the-art 21st century highway system; drivers chip in to pay the costs… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 1/23/12 - Louisville Performance Improvement, Harrisburg’s New Treasurer, Premont Cuts Sports, Rochester & Kodak
Louisville aims to improve government performance with private-sector strategies ..... Harrisburg voters elect new (young) city treasurer ..... Premont ISD cuts sports to save school ..... Kodak moments or memories in Rochester… Continue
Cities May Face Long Road to Recovery
Last year brought little economic relief to the majority of U.S. metro areas, although forecasts for 2012 are more promising, according to a U.S. Conference of Mayors report.… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 1/12/12 - MSRB Outreach, Inflation Indictors, Housing Wealth and College, Foreclosure Trends
MSRB plans outreach and education events ..... Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta monitors inflation .....How the housing boom and bust impact college choices ..... Are foreclosures on the decline? (Which cities still have highest foreclosure rates?)… Continue
Austin’s Municipal Website Redesign Surpasses “Impressive”
Austin’s recently redesigned website, even in beta form, is state-of-the-art, and should be noted by any municipality considering an upgrade of its website.… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 1/5/12 - Golden Gate Bridge, Chicago Shovels, Job Concerns, East Orange Recovery
Golden Gate Bridge spans 79 years in history ..... Chicago takes proactive approach to snow removal ..... Communities in the Northeast - and residents across the nation - express concern over jobs ..... East Orange released from state oversight… Continue
Unemployment Rates Drop in Majority of Metro Areas
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports lower unemployment rates in 351 of the nation’s 372 metro areas in November. Rates were higher in 16 metro areas, and unchanged in five.… Continue
Why Municipal Bonds Should Remain Tax-Exempt
Report makes a case for maintaining the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds, citing benefits not only for investors, but for job creation, and efficient financing of public purpose projects… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 12/28/11 - Demographic Trends, Municipal Pensions, and Rolling the Dice in Detroit
Have you seen the new U.S. Census Bureau website? (You should) ..... Brookings highlights demographic trends ..... DC bucks national demographic trends ..... Pension reform in RI goes local ..... Detroit sees winning gambling revenues… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 12/20/11 - Harrisburg Receiver’s Website, Less Transparency in NJ, “Giving and Getting” in NY, TX Weather
Harrisburg receiver launches website ..... Too much transparency in New Jersey? ..... Upstate vs. Downstate New York revenues/expenses ..... Texas weather woes… Continue
Cities Find Innovative Ways to Address to Hunger, Homelessness
Cities across the U.S. are developing innovative solutions to hunger and homelessness… Continue
The Road to Infrastructure Improvement Is Paved with Public Support
Interview with Dr. David Ellis, who explains why effectively communicating transportation issues to the public plays such an key role in funding infrastructure improvement projects… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 12/13/11 - Bond Buyer’s Deal of Year, Top Winter Cities, San Francisco Minimum Wage, Electricity Costs
Massachusetts Bridge Wins Bond Buyer Deal of Year, Top Winter Cities, San Francisco Minimum Wage, Cost of Electricity… Continue
Innovation Drives Results in Downers Grove, Illinois
Innovation has become part of the Village culture in Downers Grove - with impressive results, saving money and providing more efficient and enviromentally friendly services to its residents… Continue
In the U.S., Biggest States Are Hot, While Biggest Cities Are Not
U.S. population shifts favor big states but smaller cities - second article in a series, “What the U.S. Census is telling us about millennial America”… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 12/7/11 - GASB, Scarsdale, Marlins Stadium, Florida Hospital Districts
GASB’s new proposal for state local governments, Scarsdale, Marlins stadium, special hospital districts in Florida… Continue
Detroit’s Troubled Finances Prompt State Review
State begins review of Detroit’s finances, while the Mayor wants to avoid the appointment of an emergency financial manager… Continue
MuniNet Medley: 12/2/11 - Harrisburg, Chandler, Fringe Suburbs, California CAFRs
More “disturbing” news from Harrisburg ..... CA issuers and their CAFRs ..... Chandler’s cautious optimism over revenue hikes .... the debate over the viability of the fringe suburb… Continue
Growth in “65 and Older” Crowd Outpaces Other Segments of U.S. Population
A new 2010 Census Brief says population in the 65-plus age group increased more than than total population over the past decade… Continue
City Fiscal Conditions Report May Reflect a “New Normal”
Cities continue to grapple with new ways to face fiscal challenges… Continue
MuniNet Medley: Timely Points of Interest from the Editor’s Desk
“All about the States” Edition! Do “stuck states” have a personality type? ... State revenues up, but hold off the celebration ... Wisconsin enjoys record export levels of agricultural products ... Solar power fuels job growth in these states… Continue
Fort Worth, TX