Public Schooling in Southeastern Wisconsin

For the 23rd consecutive year, the Public Policy Forum has compiled and analyzed data from Southeastern Wisconsin's school districts in order to better inform policymakers and the public about progress-or lack thereof-on commonly utilized measures of academic achievement. This year's analysis of the 2008-09 academic year indicates cause for encouragement in some areas, but also cause for significant concern

Should It Stay or Should It Go?: Exploring the potential for structural reform in Milwaukee County government

Milwaukee County government faces immediate and substantial fiscal and programmatic challenges. The county's structural deficit -- defined as the gap between expenditure needs and anticipated revenues -- is projected to grow from $48 million in 2011 to more than$106 million by 2014, despite several successive years of significant expenditure and staff reductions and anticipation of significant wage and benefit concessions in 2010. This projection is the clearest indication yet that the county's finances are crumbling and that valued services in areas like parks, transit, mental health and public safety face severe degradation without prompt and concerted action. This action could take any of several forms, including the complete elimination of Milwaukee County government. This report, commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Committee, provides detailed analysis and perspective on the complex issues surrounding that option, as well as other potential structural changes

Assessing Public Expenditures in Small Towns

Large, urban governments often provide a tremendous variety of public goods, while the expenditures of small communities usually address basic needs such as fire protection and road maintenance. However, certain small local governments dedicate significant public resources to recreation, culture, and public health services, among others. This research examines the variation in services provided by these smaller, often overlooked governments. Differences are explained, at least partially, by various community characteristics, location, and capacity. For the millions of people who reside in these communities, the findings illustrate why variations exist and what, potentially, can be done to alter expenditure levels. </jats:p

Public Management in Rural Local Governments: An Assessment of Institutional Differences and Implications

Rural America often is portrayed in one of two ways. The first recalls quintessential American main streets—safe, friendly, and situated in picturesque landscapes. The second depicts empty storefronts, public health crises, and resentment toward change. Within this complex picture of rural life, however, are municipalities that must be managed. This research examines the use of a professional administrator by rural communities and the degree to which the position is correlated with public expenditures. Results indicate that use of a professional administrator is correlated with population, partisanship, education, and wealth, but its effect on expenditures appears limited.</jats:p

Providing Public Goods in Rural America: The Role of the Professional Public Administrator

Rural local governments, similar to their larger and more urban counterparts, provide many of the public services their citizens encounter on a daily basis. As would be expected, most dedicate the majority of their expenditures to services such as road maintenance, fire protection, and a handful of administrative functions. Some, however, devote significant resources to a more robust collection that includes parks, cultural institutions, and public health programs, for example. Using data from rural governments in Wisconsin, this research examines public expenditures, with an emphasis on the role of the professional administrator and the degree to which the position is correlated with expenditures on public goods. While existing scholarship has examined overall expenditures, this research provides a more nuanced focus on nine specific expenditure categories. Results indicate that population, partisanship, county-level expenditures, and fiscal capacity are related to various expenditure categories, but the effect of the professional administrator is much more limited.</jats:p