Governing for Outcomes

“If information was used to make policy changes, they came about as a result of yearly reviews. Implementation took months, or even years. By the time a contemplated change was in place, the conditions that prompted the shift might no longer be relevant” (Martin O’Malley, after becoming Mayor of Baltimore).
Budgeting for Outcomes (BFO) is… »

New Orleans 311 problems finally resolved

After spending millions of taxpayer dollars to professional services contractors, in a secret bidding and award process, on the city’s 311 system, including an “upgrade” to connect the system to departments, Mayor Ray Nagin has shut down the 311 system, blaming budget shortfalls.
Citizens should now direct their questions and complaints directly to departments:
The 311 phone… »

“Seeking nothing in particular and everything in general”

When citizens feel that their jobs, their reputations, or the safety of themselves and their loved ones, might be threatened by a public revelation of something they said to an elected official with the expectation of reasonable privacy, what is the responsibility of the government to protect them from harm, or to protect their communications… »

Transparency has been law for years

The Times-Picayune:
Transparency has been law for years
Posted by Letters to the Editor April 14, 2009 4:29PM
Re: “Subcontractors at the center of N.O. ethics issues, ” Page 1, April 12. Thanks to Michelle Krupa for her article highlighting issues related to subcontractors associated with public contracts. This is the reason that in September 2005, after Hurricane… »

“I think we will have citizens asking more questions about their government”

AP reporter Becky Bohrer reports that Ray Nagin is dogged by his 2002 campaign promises to bring technology to City Hall, and to create a more transparent government:
“It’s not your father’s New Orleans,” University of New Orleans political scientist Ed Chervenak said, adding that residents post-Katrina are demanding transparency and accountability.
Just what Nagin promised in… »

Who’s ahead and who’s behind in the City Hall slugfest?

An opinion published in The Times-Picayune by David Marcello, executive director of The Public Law Center of Tulane and Loyola law schools
Who’s ahead and who’s behind in the City Hall slugfest? I don’t know, and I don’t care.
It matters not who’s winning between the mayor and the council. What’s important is which one of them… »

Citizens as “co-creators rather than subjects”

Topics covered in this Citizen Crime Watch letter:

We could use some more of that sunshine disinfectant around here.
When the police respond to your 911 call, they’re already too late.
Strike Against Crime on January 9th.
Police Violence?
Remembering Ja’Shawn Powell.

We could use some more of that sunshine disinfectant around here
Lessons learned. Painful lessons learned.
That’s one way to… »