Introduction to the Massachusetts Transportation Dashboard [PDF file]
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2012-01-24
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Pioneer’s Transportation Dashboard is intended to communicate the performance of the state’s transportation system and inform the public about the effectiveness of the state’s transportation leadership. As a
single-page of primarily visual communication, it necessarily simplifies
the complex nature of the transportation system. Pioneer developed the dashboard in partnership with Northeastern University’s School of Engineering, led by Professor Ali Touran. We offer the dashboard as a
starting point for the development of richer and deeper analysis of system performance. Creating Jobs: Reforming Unemployment Insurance in Massachusetts. [PDF file]
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2011-02-10
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: Pioneer Institute and the Massachusetts High Technology Council are pleased to present a new study that meets this demand: “Creating Jobs: Reforming Unemployment Insurance in Massachusetts.” As the report highlights, Massachusetts’s Unemployment Insurance system - the most generous in the nation in terms of eligibility requirements and benefit duration - is actually inhibiting job creation. The report offers four reform proposals that could generate 10,000 new jobs and $7.5 billion in economic growth over the next decade.
Keeping Massachusetts Competitive [PDF file]
The Business Climate in Context
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2010-09-16
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: Massachusetts is a state with many economic and competitive strengths, but policymakers, elected officials, and business leaders must not ignore its weaknesses. Massachusetts offers compelling advantages to companies looking to expand businesses or start new ones, but other states are chipping away at the state’s advantages in this area. Of equal concern is the fact that the state’s shortcomings--notably, the cost of doing business and an unfavorable and unpredictable tax environment--create a disadvantage when compared to many of the Commonwealth’s national and international economic competitors. Writing Instruction in Massachusetts [PDF file]
Author(s): Alison L. Fraser — Publication date: 2010-02-11
Category: Education
Abstract: Massachusetts has shown tremendous progress on any number of assessments of its students’ English Language Arts and Mathematics achievement since the passage of the landmark Education Reform Act of 1993. But how the is the Bay State doing on writing? Despite 17 years of education reform and first-in-the-nation performance on standardized tests, too many Massachusetts high school graduates are still not prepared for work or post-secondary education. In May 2008, recognizing this reality, the then-Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) commissioned a 21st Century Skills Task Force to develop recommendations for new standards and assessments that would fill the gap with regard to skills missing from state frameworks, including effective oral and written communication skills. Lowering the Bar to Get a Passing Grade [PDF file]
Author(s): Charles Chieppo — Publication date: 2010-01-24
Category: Better Government
Abstract: law school located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1981 and unsuccessfully sought American Bar Association (ABA) accreditation in 1997 and again in 1999. Among the reasons for the rejections were inadequate financial resources and sub-standard academic quality, as reflected in incoming student credentials and the pass rates of its graduates who sat for the Massachusetts bar exam.
After its failed attempts to gain ABA accreditation, SNESL turned its attention to merging with the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth (UMass) to become the Commonwealth’s public law school. Connecticut and Maine are currently the only New England states with public law schools, although New Hampshire is in the process of creating one. The initial merger effort, which called for a $2.5 million annual state subsidy, was turned down in 2000. Proponents claimed that a 2005 merger proposal wouldn’t cost the taxpayers anything. That plan was approved by the UMass board, but turned down by the state Board of Higher Education. A third attempt to combine the two schools is currently underway. This time, SNESL has offered to donate its assets to UMass. Debunking the Myths About Charter Public Schools [PDF file]
Author(s): Cara Stillings Candal — Publication date: 2010-01-04
Category: Education
Abstract: Charter public schools have existed in Massachusetts since 1995, after enabling legislation was included in the landmark Massachusetts Education Reform Act (MERA) of 1993. Originally conceived as laboratories for educational innovation that could offer choice for families and competition for traditional district schools, charters are public schools that may not discriminate as to whom they accept. In fact, aside from their often superior levels of academic achievement, charter public schools differ from their district counterparts in only one major way: they enjoy some freedoms and autonomies that district schools do not in exchange for being subject to additional accountability requirements. Drawing Lessons: [PDF file]
Different Results from State Health Insurance Exchanges
Author(s): Amy Lischko — Publication date: 2009-12-15
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: In Massachusetts and across the country, the Commonwealth’s health care reform has taken on an exaggerated “persona”; for some, it embodies all that is evil about government intrusion into health care markets; for others, it exhibits all the virtues of government action. Closing Springfield's Achievement Gap: [PDF file]
Innovative Ways to Use MCAS Data to Drive School Reform
Author(s): Dr. Kathleen Madigan, Theodor Rebarber, and Dr. Bruce Bean — Publication date: 2009-10-19
Category: Education
Abstract: Business leaders, educators, policy makers, and civil rights advocates are increasingly dedicated to fundamental reform to close the achievement gap that limits hope and opportunity for students from historically disadvantaged groups. Substantial gaps in academic achievement between groups of students based on race, ethnicity and similar factors should have no place in American society in the 21st century. For those students facing such deficits, the effects can be profound. They dictate which students receive the preparation necessary to succeed in their choice of college and work, and which ones continue to be left behind. School-Based Management: [PDF file]
A Practical Path to School District Reform
Author(s): Cara Stillings Candal — Publication date: 2009-09-29
Category: Education
Abstract: Located in the “bicep of Cape Cod,” the Town of Barnstable,
Massachusetts, is widely considered that area’s economic and municipal
hub. Home to a thriving business sector, healthcare facilities, an airport,
and a host of other municipal services, many of Cape Cod’s citizens rely
upon Barnstable and its seven surrounding villages for economic and
cultural prosperity. But Barnstable’s status as a center of activity in the
Cape Cod region is only one of the things that make the town unique.
In recent years, Barnstable has received state and national recognition
for its commitment to financial accountability and responsibility. This
commitment has, in turn, enabled the Town of Barnstable to make
important and sweeping changes in the way its schools are financed
and managed—changes that many in the Commonwealth have come to
recognize as worthy of emulation. Driving the New Urban Agenda [PDF file]
Desired Outcomes for the Middle Cities Initiative
Author(s): Jim Stergios and Maria Ortiz Perez — Publication date: 2009-07-22
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: As national discussions continue on the future of cities across the country, an array of stimulus strategies are being offered. These include downsizing older industrialized cities or engaging in large-scale urban renewal projects. Whatever path is taken, Pioneer urges elected officials and policymakers not to fall into old habits of things tried that failed. The challenges our cities face are not new and while stimulus can be helpful, it will not turn back generations of economic change to which cities have not adapted. Countdown to Fiscal Sanity [PDF file]
Meeting the Challenge of the FY10 Budget
Author(s): Jim Stergios and Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2009-06-11
Category: Better Government
Abstract: It took one day for the House
of Representatives to raise the
sales tax 25 percent. It took
just one day for the Senate to
do the same. Why MTEL, Not PRAXIS, Will Maintain Teacher Quality [PDF file]
Author(s): CSR — Publication date: 2009-04-23
Category: Education
Abstract: The tests Massachusetts uses for licensing teachers, the Massachusetts
Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL), have been developed for the state
by the Evaluation Systems group of Pearson (ESP) under continuously
renewed contracts with the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE). Accountability Overboard [PDF file]
Author(s): Charles D. Chieppo and James T. Gass — Publication date: 2009-04-01
Category: Education
Abstract: Special interest groups opposed to charter schools and high-stakes testing have hijacked the state’s once-independent board of education and stand poised to water down the MCAS tests and the accountability system they support. A Step Backwards: An Analysis of the 21st Century Skills Task Force Report [PDF file]
Author(s): Jim Stergios — Publication date: 2009-02-17
Category: Better Government
Abstract: On November 18, 2008, the 21st Century Skills Task Force presented a set of recommendations to the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) on why, how, and where to incorporate
“21st century skills” in the state’s current academic standards and assessments for students and teachers. On December 16, the BESE agreed to ask the Commissioner and his staff at the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education (DESE) to develop an implementation plan. The DESE is expected to suggest a preliminary set of implementation
priorities at the February BESE meeting, and to provide a more extensive response later this spring. Learning from Springfield [PDF file]
An Asset Management Approach to Tax Title Collection
Author(s): David Panagore — Publication date: 2009-02-16
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Like most municipalities, Springfield relies in large part on local property tax revenue to deliver services. However, collecting property tax became a challenge when, in 2004, the City was struggling to avoid financial collapse. Its woes were not due just to a lagging economy and shrinking property values. Many residents and businesses, in every neighborhood and across diverse populations, stopped paying property taxes. The City’s cash position undermined its financial position as it teetered towards bankruptcy. The following policy brief highlights Springfield’s recent strategy to develop a comprehensive approach toward property tax collection that reduces tax delinquency, collects outstanding debt and fosters long-term economic growth. Getting There: Transportation Reform in 2009 [PDF file]
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2009-02-16
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Transportation policy will play a prominent role in Massachusetts politics over the coming months. The Massachusett Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) structural deficit is projected to grow to $160 million in FY2010. The MassPike is facing an operating deficit and the potential implosion of its financing structure. MassHighway is scrambling to initiate a $3 billion accelerated bridge repair program that will leave us with hundreds of structurally deficient bridges even after it is done. Massachusetts Healthcare Reform: [PDF file]
A Framework for Evaluation
Author(s): Michael Miltenberger and Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2009-01-16
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Passed in 2006, the Massachusetts healthcare reform bill represents
an innovative approach to healthcare reform in the United States. The
bill (Chapter 58 of the Massachusetts Laws of 2006) has four main
goals: to use an individual mandate to expand access to near universal
levels; to establish guidelines for employers’ ‘fair share’ contribution
and involvement; to reorganize insurance markets and manage the
distribution and subsidization of several insurance plans through the new
Massachusetts “Connector”; and to establish transparency that will aid
in understanding and assessing the bill’s cost and quality of care. Start Here Before Cutting Into the Safety Net [PDF file]
Common Sense Budget Actions
Author(s): — Publication date: 2009-01-13
Category: Better Government
Abstract: In October, Pioneer suggested $700 million in cuts that Governor Patrick
could make to the fiscal year 2009 budget. A number of the cuts we
recommended were included in the Governor’s $1.4 billion package
of budget reductions. Unfortunately, in addition to inadvisable fiscal
actions like extending the period for repaying unfunded pension liability
and withdrawals from the rainy day fund, the Governor also made well
over $350 million in cuts to safety net programs. It was too early in this
difficult economic cycle to make those cuts. It still is. Strengthening Standards-Based Education [PDF file]
Recommendations to Policy Makers on 21st Century Skills
Author(s): Jim Stergios and Jamie Gass — Publication date: 2008-11-11
Category: Better Government
Abstract: In May of 2008, then-Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Chairman Paul Reville named more than 20 individuals from education, not-for-profit organizations, and business to a task force on “21st Century Skills.” He charged the task force with finding ways to better integrate so-called 21st century skills into the public school curriculum. According to Patrick administration officials, this effort is tantamount to a manifesto that will move Massachusetts into the next phase of Education Reform. Hard Decisions, Needed Leadership [PDF file]
Author(s): — Publication date: 2008-10-17
Category: Better Government
Abstract: This report seeks to identify savings to help close a looming $1 billion to $1.5 billion gap in the Commonwealth’s FY09 budget. As a follow-up to a Pioneer press release outlining $600 million in immediate cuts, dated October 8, 2008, we have scoured the budget for savings and reforms, with an eye toward actions that can be undertaken immediately. This report identifies $700 million in budget savings. Moreover, it achieves these savings while adhering to the following premises and sound budgeting principles. Enrollment Trends in Massachusetts [PDF file]
Author(s): Ken Ardon — Publication date: 2008-09-24
Category: Education
Abstract: Enrollment in public schools in Massachusetts has fallen by 24,000
students, or 2.5 percent, over the past five years. The total number of
students in Massachusetts public schools is now just 936,000. The decline
started several years ago, and is likely to accelerate over the next decade.
The drop in enrollment is steepest in Western Massachusetts and Cape
Cod, and urban districts are losing students faster than suburban districts.
Additionally, the enrollment decline is more severe in lower-income areas
than in middle or upper-income areas. Differential Pay for Math and Science Teachers [PDF file]
Author(s): Theodor Rebarber and Kathleen Madigan — Publication date: 2008-08-28
Category: Education
Abstract: Of the various proposals under discussion for improving public education,
some of the most hotly debated have been those designed to reform
teacher compensation. This Brief addresses differential compensation
designed to attract and retain effective mathematics and science teachers;
it accomplishes this through a focus on approaches that integrate
performance-based reforms into an ongoing wage enhancement. How to Strengthen K-12 Mathematics Education in Massachusetts [PDF file]
Implications of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel’s Report
Author(s): Dr. Sandra Stotsky — Publication date: 2008-06-16
Category: Education
Abstract: This position paper suggests how Massachusetts can strengthen K-12 mathematics education in its schools, drawing chiefly on the findings and recommendations presented in the final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel (henceforth referred to as the Panel). The Panel’s report was released in March 2008 after two years of work and deliberation by seventeen researchers and scholars appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. Its findings and recommendations are based on a thorough review of the evidence from all the best available high quality research. Scaling Up Educational Innovation [PDF file]
Author(s): Jamie Gass — Publication date: 2008-06-01
Category: Education
Abstract: In recent years, a vast majority of schools in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield,
not to mention Fall River, New Bedford, Lowell, Lawrence, Holyoke, and
Brockton were placed on the federal ‘In Need of Improvement’ list, as
mandated under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law. Today, in these urban
districts in the Bay State, nearly 70 percent of the students score in the ‘Needs
Improvement’ and ‘Warning/Failing’ categories on the MCAS test. Additional Reforms for the Governor’s Accelerated Bridge Repair Proposal [PDF file]
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2008-06-01
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: The Governor’s proposal to fix structurally deficient bridges is an
aggressive approach to addressing the massive backlog of deferred
maintenance in the Commonwealth. To be sure, this approach does not
create revenues, it only accelerates planned future spending. However,
this acceleration will result in greater value by fixing hundreds of
decaying bridges sooner rather than later; thereby avoiding the effect
of construction inflation and higher future repair costs due to ongoing
deterioration. GIC Consolidation [PDF file]
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2008-06-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Middle Cities Initiative seeks to help the Commonwealth’s older
cities, which face economic, demographic, and political challenges. These
challenges cover a wide range of issues—entrenched political cultures,
significant infrastructure costs, underperforming schools, struggling retail
and manufacturing sectors, crime, and poorly targeted state programs.
The Initiative’s goal is to develop and disseminate concrete policies to
help the Middle Cities grow. Learning from Springfield [PDF file]
Lessons in Effective Fiscal Management
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2008-04-01
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: The Middle Cities Initiative seeks to develop concrete policies to
help the Middle Cities grow. One foundational element for economic
growth is effective fiscal management by the public sector. The Middle
Cities Initiative includes a benchmarking program that would establish
incentives for good municipal management, and also equip municipal
leaders with the tools they need to succeed. This Policy Brief considers
Springfield as a case study in effective fiscal management and reform,
and as an example for other communities. It integrates specific policy
proposals derived from Springfield’s experience with Pioneer’s work on
benchmarking New Business Creation and The Urban Economy [PDF file]
Author(s): John H. Friar — Publication date: 2008-02-28
Category: Economic Opportunity
Abstract: Policymakers have long grappled with the challenge of revitalizing cities whose economies have declined as manufacturing jobs moved elsewhere. Older industrial cities’ economic woes have compounded other problems, including municipal budget crises, struggling schools, high crime rates, and persistent poverty. Shades of Green [PDF file]
The Patchwork of Wetlands Regulations in Massachusetts
Author(s): Amy Dain — Publication date: 2008-02-14
Category: Better Government
Abstract: “Why can’t I just fill the little swamp in the backyard? That way
I have more lawn to enjoy.”
This question is listed on the website for Gloucester’s Conservation
Commission under “Frequently Asked Questions.” The Commission’s
response is that all wetlands, including small seasonal wetlands, help clean
stormwater, serve as drainage areas and provide habitat for many species. Unemployment Insurance in Massachusetts [PDF file]
Burdening Businesses and Hurting Job Creation
Author(s): John O’Leary and Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2008-01-16
Category: Better Government
Abstract: High unemployment insurance taxes deter job creation and burden
Massachusetts businesses. The current system also subsidizes certain
workers and business sectors, at the expense of most Massachusetts
workers and companies. Pioneer’s October 2006 report, Measuring Up:
The Cost of Doing Business in Massachusetts, cited unemployment
insurance (UI) costs as a key competitive disadvantage for
Massachusetts compared to other states. Between 2003 and 2005,
the average UI taxes paid by a typical Massachusetts company almost
doubled. MyFloridaMarketPlace [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 16 2007
Author(s): Kimberly Koegel — Publication date: 2007-09-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: In 2000, the Florida state legislature approved funding for an online
e-procurement portal called MyFloridaMarketPlace. The project was
overseen by Florida’s Division of Management Services (DMS),
which contracted with Accenture in the fall of 2002 to create and
manage the portal. Reducing Unnecessary Institutionalization of Senior Citizens [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 17 2007
Author(s): ProVentive — Publication date: 2007-09-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: This proposal involves collecting and integrating existing data on the health
of elderly patients. This information would be used to construct patient
profiles to help predict and prevent unexpected incidents. A data-driven
coordination of programs and services would aid in early interventions, and
also help evaluate how different strategies, programs, and agencies could
reduce unnecessary nursing home institutionalization. Extending the Stat Model Across the Commonwealth [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 18 2007
Author(s): Somerville SomerStat Program — Publication date: 2007-09-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: After nearly a decade of evolution, municipal Stat programs, such as
NYPD’sCompStat and Baltimore’s CitiStat, have proved very successful
in improving city service delivery and cutting unnecessary spending.
Though slightly different in each implementation, all Stat programs involve
frequent meetings at which key decision-makers and department heads
review data on operational performance, identify problems and solutions,
and track follow-up. The City of Baltimore reported $70 million in savings
attributable to CitiStat in its first three years of operations. Repair, Replacement, Renovation and Maintenance Program [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 19 2007
Author(s): Hillsborough County, Florida — Publication date: 2007-09-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Repair, Replacement, Renovation and Maintenance (R3M) Program
concept is a strategy for managing Hillsborough County’s physical assets.
The purpose of the R3M Program is to protect investment in infrastructure,
reduce the maintenance backlog, control and reduce costs, minimize
waste, and to maintain public buildings and facilities in a safe and efficient
condition. Transforming Urban School Districts through Choice [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 20 2007
Author(s): Foundation for Education Reform and Accountability — Publication date: 2007-09-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Foundation for Education Reform & Accountability (FERA), based in
Albany, New York, has been implementing a school-choice initiative – the
Albany Project – that has created high-quality charter schools to serve more
than half of the local public school student population in the state’s capital
city. FERA believes that a district composed of choice schools can better
serve students, parents, and the community than the traditional urban school
district system. The Albany Project is demonstrating that the charter school
model – freedom from state regulations and education bureaucracy, freedom
to innovate, and increased accountability – can better serve all students,
not just the small segment of the population fortunate enough to win an
enrollment lottery or afford a private school. Fixing Maintenance in Massachusetts [PDF file]
Author(s): Steve Poftak — Publication date: 2007-08-15
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The horrifying spectacle of the Minnesota bridge collapse has prompted a national reevaluation of the condition of our public infrastructure. In Massachusetts, two recent reports have found a multi-billion dollar backlog of deferred maintenance. The Charter Agencies Initiative [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 1 2007
Author(s): Jim Chrisinger — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Iowa’s Charter Agencies Initiative, originally developed by the Public
Strategies Group, a Minnesota-based government-consulting firm, is one
in a series of programs implemented by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to address
the ballooning state budget. The program stresses increased efficiency,
reduced costs, and greater freedom for state agencies (and the Governor’s
office) to offer better value to Iowa’s citizens. The Performance Bonus Pay Program [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 2 2007
Author(s): — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Governing magazine’s July 2003 cover story was entitled “Who’s Afraid of
the DMV: For Most People, Motor Vehicle Offices are the Face of
Government. It’s Not a Pretty Face.” Most motor vehicle departments
project an image of bureaucratic lethargy. By improving their performance
and efficiency, they could better serve customers and improve the
government’s public image. The Building Permitting Automation Efficiency Program [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 3 2007
Author(s): — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Buildings in Florida’s Miami-Dade County typically fill up as quickly as
they can be built. Between glimmering high-rise towers for vacationers or
retirees, banks and offices that serve as the nerve centers of Miami’s southward-
looking economy, or schools and public buildings to support a growing
population, South Florida has the look of a perpetual hard-hat zone. This
steady pace of needed construction is maintained by an innovative building
department and its Building Permitting Automation Efficiency Program. The Wetlands Banking Program [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 4 2007
Author(s): John DeVillars — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: In spite of stringent federal, state and local wetlands regulations in
Massachusetts, too many fragile ecosystems are still threatened by
development. A primary reason for this is that the Commonwealth’s
wetlands mitigation regulations are poorly designed, difficult to implement
and costly to regulate. In many permitting situations a new, privatized
approach to mitigation—wetlands banking—could help ensure that our
wetlands are more fully and cost-effectively protected and restored. A Reform of Wetlands Regulations [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 5 2007
Author(s): Kurt Gaertner — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The cost of housing in Massachusetts absorbs too much of the average
resident’s income and drives people and businesses out of the state. According
to recent research studies, the problem is not a lack of land but an excess
of regulation. I propose a concrete and politically palatable policy reform to
ensure that septic and wetland regulations are used to protect the environment
and public health. This reform would remove the temptation for towns
to misuse these rules to discourage development. A Reform of Workers’ Compensation Insurance [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 6 2007
Author(s): — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents has implemented
numerous reforms that have improved the safety of workplaces throughout
the state since Governor Mitt Romney’s election in 2002. In the process,
the DIA has reduced the number companies that do not adhere to the state’s
worker compensation laws. The Bid-to-Goal Program [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 7 2007
Author(s): — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Bid-to-Goal is a program originally developed by the City of San Diego’s
Metropolitan Wastewater Department (MWWD), in conjunction with
consulting firm Henningson, Durham and Richardson (HDR), in 1997 as
an “optimization strategy” to more cost-effectively implement large public
works initiatives. By means of a binding pact between the city and public
sector employees, the MWWD had hoped to create a hybrid dynamic that
incorporates the most desirable features of both public and private sector
contracting. Consolidating Off-Road Vehicle Registration [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 8 2007
Author(s): — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: Massachusetts suffers from a wastefully duplicative system for registering
motor vehicles. There are separate registration sites and bureaucracies
for on-road and off-road vehicles. The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
registers cars, busses, trucks, motorcycles and all other on-road vehicles.
The Executive Office of Environmental Affairs’ (EOEA) Registration and
Titling Bureau registers off-road vehicles—boats, snowmobiles and all terrain
vehicles (ATVs). GPS for State Contractors [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 12 2007
Author(s): Massachusetts Highway Department — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Massachusetts Highway Department, or MassHighway, solved a longstanding management problem by using technology in an innovative way. Contractors who work for MassHighway, such as snowplow operators,
are now assigned GPS-enabled cell phones so that managers can track where and when work is being done. This capability ensures that workers, equipment and budget dollars are used efficiently. The Cash Incentive Safety Initiative [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 9 2007
Author(s): Eric Honeyfield — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The City of Gallup, NM, like many governmental bodies that employ field
crews, suffered from an ever-increasing number of worker’s compensation
claims and associated annual increases in worker’s compensation insurance
premiums. The implementation of the Cash Incentive Safety Initiative has
both improved the health of employees and reduced costs associated with
absent and injured workers. As explained below, there is real potential for
similar programs to benefit municipal and state governments nationwide. The Electronic Grants System for Education [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 10 2007
Author(s): Michigan Department of Education — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS) is an initiative that permits online education grant applications to feed directly into the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) system. By removing a
time-consuming step from the application process, MEGS has improved performance and slashed administrative costs without any additional state funds. A similar program could benefit both the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) and the grant applicants who hope to put state funds to
work. The Estuaries Project [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 11 2007
Author(s): — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Massachusetts Estuaries Project, through the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth School of Marine Science and Technology
(SMAST), supports the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in the development and implementation of policies to protect nitrogen-sensitive coastal embayments. The Project collects data
and develops models to manage and restore the 89 embayment systems that comprise the coastline of southeastern Massachusetts. The Project encompasses new technologies, regulatory approaches and funding mechanisms to reduce the costs of conducting estuarine restoration. The Clinical Performance Improvement Initiative [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 13 2007
Author(s): Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: The Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC) has embarked on a groundbreaking plan to control costs, improve healthcare quality, and promote cost-efficiency. Labeled the Clinical Performance Improvement
(CPI) Initiative, this multi-year effort has the potential to save the Commonwealth and its enrollees tens of millions of dollars, while improving the quality of care. The HousingWorks Affordable Housing Website [PDF file]
Roe Paper No. 14 2007
Author(s): HousingWorks Corporation — Publication date: 2007-07-01
Category: Better Government
Abstract: While organized, searchable Internet listings have become an integral part of the market-rate home buying process, such tools are typically not used to help homeless or low-income families find suitable housing in
Massachusetts. HousingWorks, a Massachusetts corporation, uses these technologies to match those in need with affordable housing units. It provides a central database for those who provide affordable housing, and
for those who need it. |
