Legislation banning government contractors from making political contributions to government officials often called “Pay to Play” exists in eleven states. Three cities in New Jersey: Newark, Jersey City, and Hoboken also have enacted legislation prohibiting Pay to Play. Companies and individuals that conduct business with cities and counties often provide the lion’s share of campaignRead… Read more »
The Colorado City City Council recently approved an interesting set of guiding principles that they will use to govern Colorado City. A few highlights of the principles and comments from me in italics follow: Principle 1: The Council will focus on policy and outcomes. The Council’s unique value is to ensure that the strategic directionRead… Read more »
It is amazing how behind the times many government offices are when it comes to technology. New York City has put out a bid to replace 1,172 typewriters, which are primarily used to complete carbon copy forms that are not computerized. As the New York Post reports: The last city contract for typewriters, issued fiveRead… Read more »
Buffalo ReformED is an education reform advocacy organization that brings together parents, teachers, business leaders, and community stakeholders and aims to revitalize Buffalo through an improved education system. Buffalo ReformED has developed a report card that they use to evaluate Buffalo Board of Education meetings. What do you think about this meeting Report Card? CouldRead… Read more »
The New York Times reports that in two years New York City Comptroller John C. Liu has handed out more than 760 official commendations to individuals and groups. The Times reports that nearly one-quarter of the recipients of the commendations are connected to Liu’s political campaign. Official commendations have been provided to: “A Liu donorRead… Read more »
In the Buffalo, New York area a public fed up with the cost of government has over the past several years voted to reduce the size of the Erie County Legislature from 17 members to 11, and the Buffalo City Council has gone from 13 members to 9. Kevin Gaughan a citizen activist has ledRead… Read more »
American City and County Magazine ran an article recently titled Trimming the fat-or-not with Lean Six Sigma by Stephen Ursery. The article refers to the success of Lean Six Sigma in Irving Texas and its failure in Erie County, New York, according to Mark Cornell spokesperson for Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz. In Irving Texas,Read… Read more »
In Lancaster California (population 157,000) Mayor R. Rex Parris has installed 70 speakers along a half mile stretch of a city street and for the past 10 months has played bird songs blended with mellow synthesizer tones, five hours a day. According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, the Mayor believes the birdRead… Read more »
This part four of a four post series regarding Ken Miller’s great book Extreme Government Makeover. In Part 1 we learned that government is like a house in that most of the important work goes on in pipes hidden from public view behind walls. The problem with improving the performance of government does not lieRead… Read more »
This is part three of a four post series regarding Ken Miller’s great book Extreme Government Makeover. In Part 1 we learned that government is like a house in that most of the important work goes on in pipes hidden from public view behind walls. The problem with improving the performance of government does notRead… Read more »