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MRSC FOCUS › Focus - March 2003
 

Note: Some of the information on this archival Web page may no longer be current.

Focus - March 2003

News and Resources for Cities in Times of War (March 25)
The National League of Cities has compiled a list of news sources and resources to assist city officials on the homefront in times of war.
Homeland Security Department Announces First Responder Funding (March 25)
Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge recently announced that nearly $600 million has been made available to state and local public safety and law enforcement personnel to help them prevent, prepare and respond to terrorism. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.
Changing Images of Government in TV Entertainment (March 25)
A report by the Council for Excellence in Government and its Partnership for Trust in Government, "Changing Images of Government in TV Entertainment" (Adobe Acrobat Document48 KB) finds that prime time portrayals of government are becoming more positive, as are portrayals of elected officials and civil servants.
Federal Way's Diversity Commission Wins National Award (March 25)
The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials honored the City of Federal Way's Diversity Commission and nine other cities with its eighth annual City Cultural Diversity Awards. The award was presented during the National League of Cities (NLC) Congressional City Conference in Washington, D.C. More from Federal Way's Web site.
Redmond Cable Franchise Agreement (March 25)
Redmond's cable TV franchise agreement (Adobe Acrobat Document259 KB) has been receiving great reviews. Check out the terms if you are beginning negotiations on your franchise.
Tacoma Fuels Garbage Fleet with Biodiesel (March 25)
As part of an ongoing commitment to protect the environment, the city of Tacoma has begun using a blend of diesel fuel and biodiesel - a product made from soybean oil - in its 85-truck garbage fleet. More from American City & County.
Customer Relations Management Gaining Interest (March 25)
Customer Relations Management (CRM) is gaining interest as jurisdictions attempt to cost-effectively boost citizen satisfaction. More from Government Technology.
Firefighter Assistance Grants Available (March 19)
Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge recently announced the availability of approximately $750 million in grants through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.
IACP Offers Hate Crimes Guide (March 19)
In response to the FBI's recent warning about a potential increase in hate crimes in the aftermath of a terrorist attack or war with Iraq, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recently published "Responding to Hate Crimes: A Police Officer's Guide to Investigation and Prevention."
Washington Communities Receive CDBG Grants (March 19)
The Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (CTED) recently awarded over $6 million in Community Development Block Grants to twelve Washington communities. More from CTED.
Best Practices - Regional Collaboration for Economic Development (March 19)
CEOs for Cities collaborated with faculty from Northeastern University and the University of Illinois at Chicago on a study of innovative metropolitan alliances strengthening urban economies. The project produced a case-based study highlighting best practices in regional collaboration.
Best Practices - Early Childhood Programs (March 19)
The National Center for Children in Poverty has launched a new Web-based resource entitled, Promoting the Well-being of Infants, Toddlers and Their Families: Innovative Community and State Strategies, profiling 25 pioneering early childhood initiatives selected through a national nomination process. More from NACo's County News.
Seattle Library Offers Real-Time Reference Chat (March 19)
Faced with declining use of its walk-in reference business, the Seattle Public Library has installed an online reference chat service its patrons can use to get real-time help from library staff using computers at home, school or work. More from Federal Computer Week.
Bothell Named "Commuter Challenge Pacesetter" (March 19)
The City of Bothell was selected as a 2002 "Commuter Challenge Pacesetter" by Commuter Challenge, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Economic Development Council of Seattle & King County. The city was recognized for their commute trip reduction efforts. More from Bothell's Web site.
Budget Picture Worsening in Cities (March 11)
The budget picture for America's cities is worsening this year and will continue to decline through at least next year, according to the initial results from NLC's State of America's Cities Survey on Fiscal Conditions. More from Nation's Cities Weekly.
Recommended Reading - The Real State of the Nation (March 11)
The Atlantic Monthly recently commissioned the New America Foundation, an independent, non-partisan, non-profit public policy institute, to write a series of 15 topical articles (e.g. income distribution, health care, and retirement security) to describe "The Real State of the Nation" and offer fresh solutions.
Jefferson County Accepts Mitigation Hearings by Email (March 11)
In an effort to improve access to the courts, Jefferson County's District Court has begun accepting mitigation hearings by email.
Personal Financial Affairs Statements due Next Month (March 11)
April 15, 2003 is the deadline for elected officials to submit statements of personal financial affairs to the Public Disclosure Commission. More from the Courthouse Journal.
Taxing Cellular Phone Service - First You Have to Find Them (March 11)
If you are levying a utility tax on cellular telephones and want to make certain that you are getting taxes from all the companies operating in your area, you can find them by going to www.wirelessadvisor.com, typing in your zip code and hitting SEARCH!.
Threat Advisory Guidelines for Water Utilities (March 11)
The EPA's Water Protection Task Force has released threat advisory guidelines for water utilities, to assist with future "threat level orange" preparations.
Cities Deliver Broadband for Less (March 11)
Tacoma residents have more choices for broadband Internet access than most communities: with four local broadband providers, including the publicly owned Click Network service, Tacoma households get broadband for less. More from Wired News.
State Homeland Security Contacts (March 11)
The Department of Homeland Security maintains an updated file of state homeland security contacts.
Get Topical Update Notices via E-mail (March 4)
Would you like to receive an e-mail notice when we update content on the MRSC site that is of interest to you? If so, click on the "Subscribe to Page" link now located near the top of many of our pages. This service provides periodic e-mail notices of updates to topic pages (such as growth management) and complements our comprehensive monthly site update notice.
NACo Survey Reveals Broad Fiscal Stress in Counties (March 4)
Nearly 72 percent of America's counties are facing budget shortfalls because of funding cuts at the federal and state levels and the struggling economy, according to a survey (Adobe Acrobat Document543 KB) released by the National Association of Counties (NACo).
How Washington Compares (March 4)
The Washington Research Council has just posted a new edition of How Washington Compares on their web site.
New Web Page - Mosquito Control Districts (March 4)
Our new "Mosquito Control District" Web page includes information on the formation, financing and governance of mosquito control districts.
Recommended Reading - IRS Newsletter for Local Governments (March 4)
The current issue of the IRS's "Federal, State and Local Government Newsletter" (Adobe Acrobat Document108 KB) includes articles on "Independent Contractor or Employee?" and "Form 1099-MISC: Reporting Payments to Independent Contractors."
Citizen Engagement - Class Seeks to Boost Latino Political Awareness (March 4)
In response to the state's growing Latino population, the League of Women Voters in Charlotte, N.C., offers its Civics 101 class in Spanish. Participants say they hope the class will get them more involved in politics. More from National Public Radio.
Economic Development - Growth of Biotechnology Centers (March 4)
A new Brookings Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy report,
"Signs of Life: The Growth of Biotechnology Centers in the U.S.," finds that the fast growing biotechnology sector has become a focal point for many local, regional and state economic development strategies. The report identifies nine metropolitan areas, including Seattle, where biotechnology activity is most heavily concentrated.
Web Sightings - Awards Programs (March 4)
Awards programs for outstanding local government programs are an excellent source for best practices information. Here are some of our favorites: