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| Water Resources |
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Cities are addressing the problem of polluted storm water runoff in many different ways. Los Angeles is transforming a municipal bus parking lot into a nine-acre wetland that efficiently processes storm water runoff while giving the public a place for leisure activities. South Bend, Indiana, is installing sensors in manhole covers to monitor when pipes containing combined sewage and storm water are in danger of overflowing and contaminating waterways, and have placed valves in the system to divert water when necessary. And, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection has launched a pilot program to install remote sensors on storm and sewer water outfalls to track in real-time the rate and direction of the flow of polluted water so that they can respond accordingly.
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| Courts and Legal Services |
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To assist jurors whom may experience psychological trauma from being exposed to graphic testimony or grisly images during trials, the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts has created the "Jury Assistance Program." When a judge determines the need is warranted, a licensed mental-health professional will be made available to jurors to provide confidential assessments and identify appropriate resources when needed. The program is expected to cost the state approximately $14,000 per year.
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| Government and Social Media |
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The U.S. Department of State is sponsoring a simulation called "Tag Challenge," in which participants search for “suspects” across continents using crowdsourcing and social collaboration. Armed with only a mug shot, competitors will have 12 hours to use Twitter and other social media tools to share tips and search for and take photographs of five "suspects" in Washington, D.C.; New York; London; Stockholm; and Bratislava, Slovakia. Winning teams receive a $5,000 "bounty." More importantly, government agencies determine how best to use connections and crowdsourcing to achieve time-sensitive law-enforcement goals. The challenge takes place on March 31.
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| Highways |
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An increasing number of states are converting High Occupancy Vehicle (H.O.V.) lanes to High Occupancy Toll (H.O.T.) lanes as they struggle to ease traffic congestion. While H.O.V. lanes were originally intended to encourage carpooling, and have in recent years adapted to include vehicles that run on renewable energy, the introduction of H.O.T. lanes also accommodates motorists willing to pay a price for convenience. In Atlanta, for example, solitary motorists can use H.O.T. lanes by paying a toll via an electronic transponder. The driver is billed based on a variable pricing model that depends upon the flow of traffic. Cities such as Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Los Angeles are in the process or have completed the conversion of their car pool lanes with the aid of federal support.
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| Policing and Crime Prevention |
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The New York City Police Department is outfitting some of their police dogs with infrared cameras so that they can survey areas before officers arrive on the scene or see into spaces that officers cannot. The cameras transmit real-time images to officers who are also able to track the dogs’ locations with GPS devices. Officials expect that the canine cameras will enhance the utility of their partners who already possess superior hearing and smelling capabilities.
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| Traffic Management |
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Drivers in Ada County, Idaho, will soon take advantage of smoother commutes as the county’s Highway District installs adaptive traffic signals that will automatically detect oncoming cars and adjust their timing accordingly. The system will integrate data from multiple sets of traffic lights to improve efficiency and traffic flow. Officials note that while versions of adaptive traffic technology have been used internationally, the technology has improved greatly in recent years.
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| Tulsa's Pain—and Gain |
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Pushed to the brink of fiscal disaster by the recession, the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, developed a strategic plan that focused on core functions; measuring customer satisfaction; knowing the true cost of city government; budgeting for and measuring performance; and embracing competition in service delivery. Tulsa demonstrated that a comprehensive approach to efficiency could resolve a fiscal crisis while improving service delivery.
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| How to Train—and Keep—Good Teachers |
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One big-city public-school system has created its own school of education, and it’s paying off. Boston Public Schools’ Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) program attracts and retains a diverse group of high quality teachers to drive up academic achievement in the highest-need areas of Boston. Edutopia magazine recently named BTR one of the "10 leading schools of education."
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| The Gaming of Public Pensions |
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Nothing illustrates the unsustainability of traditional public-sector pensions better than the practice of “spiking.” Fundamental change is the only way to stem the never-ending tide of ways to game the status quo.
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Management Insights
A Governing.com Series |
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Bill Eggers and Laura Baker argue that one way to transform the way government works is with a “disruptive hypothesis.”
Newsletter produced by: Jessica Engelman, editor; Brendan St. Amant, researcher and writer.
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About the Ash Center
The Roy and Lila Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation advances excellence in governance and strengthens democratic institutions worldwide. Through its research, education, international programs, and government innovations awards, the Center fosters creative and effective problem solving and serves as a catalyst for addressing many of the most pressing needs of the world's citizens. The Ford Foundation is a founding donor of the Center. Additional information about the Ash Center is available at http://ash.harvard.edu.
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