WATOA Fall Conference in Yakima (September 27)
The Washington Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (WATOA) will be holding their fall conference in Yakima on October 19th & 20th. "New Challenges to Local Authority" is the conference theme.

Guess Who’s Coming to the ER? (September 26)
It turns out that lower-income people are not the ones clogging up emergency rooms. More from Governing.

Smart Growth Publication Showcases Development at its Best (September 26)
A new publication from The Smart Growth Network and the International City/County Management Association, This is Smart Growth, illustrates and explains smart growth concepts and outcomes. More from Smart Growth Online.

The Shape of Things to Come (September 26)
If you want to learn about metropolitan areas, a good way is to study retailing trends. And what does retail teach us about metro areas these days? The suburban form, as we've known it, is dead. More from Civic Strategies.

Brand New Revenue (September 26)
Lucrative naming-rights agreements for sporting venues were once novel approaches to advertising but have become commonplace, opening the way for government agencies to strike similar deals for other facilities. More from American City & County.

Plugged in? (September 26)
Despite years afloat in a digital sea, government workers say that when it comes to managing their documents, they cling to familiar shores. If it's important, they want a paper copy. More from Government Technology.

Policewomen: Their First Century and the New Era (September 26)
Women in policing now make up approximately 13-14 percent of all employees, and the women who pioneered this entry into a male-dominated profession faced many obstacles, but also experienced many rewards. More from The Police Chief.

Broken Promises, HAVA Requirements Costing Counties Millions (September 26)
Amid the swirl of controversy over electronic voting equipment that many counties are using for the first time this year to comply with the Help America Vote Act, one thing is clear - the technology doesn’t come cheap. More from NACo's County News.

Special Report: Regional Thinking (September 26)
The Denver metropolitan area has been a model of regional cooperation, with municipalities and counties working together to improve infrastructure and accommodate growth. More from Urban Land.

Increase in the Implicit Price Deflator (IPD) from July 2005 to July 2006 Is 3.419 Percent (September 25)
This means, for most jurisdictions, the maximum allowable levy increase for 2007 is 1 percent of the 2006 levy (plus taxes on new construction and the change in the value of state-assessed utility property). More.

Coming Soon - The Planning Advisor (September 25)
MRSC has joined with Phil Olbrechts, Attorney, Odgen Murphy Wallace, Mike McCormick, Planning Consultant, and Mark Hinshaw, Director of Urban Design for LMN Architects, to bring you a new monthly "Planning Advisor" column. MRSC's first Planning Advisor column is coming soon.

Does Highway Expansion Cure Traffic Congestion? (September 20)
A new report from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, Smart Transportation Investments Reevaluating The Role Of Highway Expansion For Improving Urban Transportation ( 200kb), investigates claims that highway capacity expansion is a cost effective and desirable solution to urban traffic congestion problems.

The Changing Role of Business Leaders in American Cities (September 20)
A new paper from the Brookings Institution, Corporate Citizenship and Urban Problem Solving: The Changing Civic Role of Business Leaders in American Cities ( 175kb), describes how shifting economic forces have diminished the capacity of business-led civic organizations, potentially stripping cities of a significant advocate.

The Truth about Telecom Taxes and Reform (September 20)
A study released by a national coalition of local government organizations,The Local Government Perspective on Telecommunications Taxes ( 431kb), debunks claims by the telecommunications industry that it is unfairly taxed relative to other businesses.

Citizen Engagement - Cost of Services (September 20)
Redmond's Fall 2006 Focus publication featuring a "Budget Primer" ( 131kb) that compares the cost in 2000 for things like new aerial ladder trucks, traffic signals, and the cost of an overnight stay in jail, to their cost in 2006, is a simple and effective way to communicate with citizens about the cost of local government services.

Why Mobility Matters (September 20)
A new report from the Reason Foundation, Why Mobility Matters ( 878kb), describes how the freedom that mobility gives us is gradually being taken away by congestion and why we can no longer regard it as merely an everyday irritant.

Fewer Cities Increase Outsourced Services (September 20)
The National League of Cities' 2005 survey of city fiscal conditions found that the percentage of municipalities that have increased the amount of contracted services has been declining steadily, from nearly 29 percent in 1999 to 4.4 percent in 2005. More from American City & County.

When Boomers Retire (September 20)
A number of states are looking to career-building programs to grow their workforces of the future. More from Governing.

Even Rural Counties Should be Prepared for Terrorist Attacks (September 12)
Terrorism isn’t just an urban threat, and counties must be prepared for the possibility of attacks close to home - even in rural areas, according to Dr. Boaz Ganor, an internationally recognized counterterrorism expert. More from NACo's County News.

Are Red-Light Cameras Fair to Drivers? (September 12)
These modern-day robocops make ticketing easier and can be huge moneymakers for local governments. But critics question their accuracy and fret over privacy issues. More from MSN Money.

Building Lifestyle Centers Instead Of Malls (September 12)
"Lifestyle centers," are becoming very popular with shopping center architects and designers. Gone are the big anchor stores, enormous parking lots and food courts. In their place are smaller stores, walkable streets, fountains and sidewalks. More from National Public Radio.

The Use of "Lean" in Local Government (September 12)
How can local governments make continuous cost reduction a reality without undermining the value they deliver? "Lean," a philosophy that seeks the involvement of workers in the elimination of waste and the adding of value, is one answer. More from Public Management.

All Aboard! (September 12)
Light rail - small passenger trains that, unlike underground trains or commuter railways, often use an overhead electricity source and may operate in the streets - is suddenly booming across America. More from The Economist.

How Rail Impacts Retail (September 12)
A successful transit line means a more intense commercial life around the stations, and that means higher property values, higher rents and the invasion of chain stores. More from Governing.

Building Roads to Reduce Traffic Congestion in America's Cities (September 12)
A study by the Reason Foundation finds that traffic delays in large areas will increase 65 percent and the number of congested lane-miles on urban roads will rise by over 50 percent in the next 25 years. More from the Reason Foundation.

Tax Program Seeks Uniform Collection (September 12)
Since 2000, states have been working on the Streamlined Sales Tax (SST) Project to create a uniform set of procedures for businesses to follow to remit sales and use taxes. More from American City & County.

Cities and Counties in the News (September)
Here are the latest news clippings from around the state highlighting current events, trends and other news affecting Washington city and county governments:

• A whopper of a Wi-Fi project (Tacoma News Tribune, September 27, 2006)
• Density bonuses draw a critical eye (Bainbridge Island Review, September 30, 2006)
• UP studies traffic impact fees (Tacoma News Tribune, September 26, 2006)
• Kirkland on cusp of dramatic growth in size, population (Seattle Times, September 26, 2006)
• Sheriff's oversight closer (Seattle Post Intelligencer, September 22, 2006)
• Mountlake Terrace board to consider cottages at Sept. 25 hearing (The Enterprise, September 22, 2006)
• Citizens' group pushes for new City Hall (Lynden Tribune, September 20, 2006)
• It's unanimous: Softer ethics rules for city volunteers (Seattle Post Intelligencer, September 19, 2006)
• In growing areas, a tale of too-similar cities (Seattle Times, September 19, 2006)
• County sets up project to house recovering addicts, mentally ill (The Columbian, September 19, 2006)
• Bagel-shop owner wins appeal to use outdoor advertisements (Seattle Times, September 16, 2006)
• Say cheese, red-light runners (Federal Way Mirror, September 16, 2006)
• City commits cash to save salmon (Federal Way Mirror, September 13, 2006)
• City tries to block Wal-Mart (Bellingham Herald, September 12, 2006)
• Everett puts charter up for voters' review (Everett Herald, September 12, 2006)
• Sims says county can't afford $5 million in Sheriff's Office reforms (Seattle Times, September 12, 2006)
• Bellevue City Council agrees to end DARE program (King County Journal, September 12, 2006)
• City combines police, fire jobs (The Columbian, September 11, 2006)
• Residents warm up to utility tax plan (Federal Way Mirror, September 9, 2006)
• Tent City 4 hit with $4,000 bill (Seattle Times, September 9, 2006)
• Pedestrian safety flagged as a priority in Kirkland (Seattle Times, September 9, 2006)
• Ridgefield ordered to pay $24,000 in records case (The Columbian, September 6, 2006)
• Ruling may cost county jail $70,000 (Seattle Times, September 6, 2006)
• Vancouver presents vision for city center (The Columbian, September 6, 2006)
• Mayor wants to plant 649,000 trees (Seattle Post Intelligencer, September 6, 2006)
• $3.9 million bond for new city hall on Lynden ballot (Bellingham Herald, September 6, 2006)
• State hands county major victory in fight over farming rules (South Whidbey Record, September 2, 2006)
• Grant County Oks petition to put government change on ballot (Tri-City Herald, September 1, 2006)
• Kennewick police reorganize duties (Tri-City Herald, September 1, 2006)
• No booking fees without hearings, federal judge says (Seattle Times, September 1, 2006)

Seminar for Municipalities Interested in Citywide Wi-Fi (September)
SkyPilot Networks, CenturyTel, and Government Technology Magazine are hosting a seminar on Tuesday, September 12 in Seattle to help city officials learn how to bring wireless high-speed Internet networks for their citizens and businesses. More from Broadband Wireless Exchange Magazine.

Booking Fees Without Hearings Found Unconstitutional (September 06)
The U.S. District Court in Spokane decided on August 29 in Huss v. Spokane County that RCW 70.48.390, the statute authorizing jails to require persons booked into jail to pay a booking fee, is unconstitutional. See also a Seattle Times discussion of this case.

The Persistence of Paper (September 06)
Despite all the advances in online services, e-governments are still stuck in the paper chase. More from Governing.

County Officials Bullish on Economy, Split on Immigration (September 06)
Balancing county budgets was easier in 2006 than in the past few years, and county elected officials were more upbeat about the economy, according to the 2006 National County Elected Officials Poll. More from NACo's County News.

Volunteer Aides to Motorists let Police Focus on Fighting Crime (September 06)
Chesterfield County, Virginia's citizen volunteer Motorist Assistance Team program allows the police to deploy their resources more strategically. More from NACo's County News.

A New Model for Disaster Response (September 06)
Historically, the U.S. has tried to manage disasters with a "command and control" approach. What is needed now is a dynamic and network-centered approach that has the flexibility to move resources and assets where they need to be, when they need to be there. More from Management Insights.

Energy Efficiency Best Practices for Local Governments (September 06)
An energy efficiency "best practices" workbook from the California Local Energy Efficiency Program (CALeep) describes a basic five-step process communities can follow to increase their level of energy efficiency. More from CALeep.

Improving Pedestrian Safety at Unsignalized Crossings (September 06)
A recent report from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) examines selected engineering treatments to improve safety for pedestrians crossing high-volume and high-speed roadways at unsignalized locations. More from the TRB.

Making Wi-Fi Fly (September 06)
For many government agencies, finding money to pay for a large technology initiative, such as a Wi-Fi network, presents a major obstacle. More from American City & County.