Government services

According to data from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), 42 state legislatures reduced their state court budgets between 2008 and 2011. A variety of cutbacks ensued — including staff layoffs, reductions in courthouse hours, and pay cuts for courthouse personnel — and many state judicial systems have consequently slowed down.

Phenomenon is widespread. Case resolution time rises in 15 states; case backlog grows in 29.

How different are natural disasters from "man-made" disasters according to some conservative state representatives?

How different are natural disasters from "man-made" disasters according to some conservative state representatives?

Ideology of unrelenting budget cuts promoted by Republicans from Texas collides with their desire to get federal help for victims of some kinds of disasters.

The way a recent New York Times/CBS News poll framed the issues meant the results invariably stayed within the bounds of a relatively narrow range of policy options, rendering a broader spectrum of policy choices invisible.

It’s hard to find a big-state governor who is not sounding a call for “shared sacrifice.” It’s even harder to find one who really means it. At the same time we’re told that real sacrifice requires real pain, we also have to accept that businesses must be exempt from any pain. Instead, states must compete to beg for their favors.

Can mayors make the case that they should not be recalled when they have to raise taxes or fees in order to establish or maintain basic public services?