|
September
2006
"World's
smartest man" gets advice from Public Works
Democrat Eliot Spitzer has been half-jokingly called "the
world's smartest man" — but he's getting some help
in the thinking department.
Spitzer
… has paid a Pennsylvania think tank more than $50,000
for policy advice…. The think tank is … run by Eric
Schnurer, a former federal prosecutor who handled policy for
Florida Sen. Bob Graham's short-lived presidential bid….
"They
have broadly and generally advised us," Spitzer spokeswoman
Christine Anderson said. As an example, she later said, they
reviewed economic development speeches Spitzer made….
Spitzer
himself, Anderson said, is involved in crafting policy "from
the concept to the stage where they're working out the details."
"He
really does believe in getting the best minds [to] evaluate
a situation and what might be done creatively to solve it,"
she said.
—
New York Daily News, "Spitzer Dished Out $50G for Policy
Advice," (September 3, 2006).
August 2006
Public
Works' efforts have received national attention
recently by becoming part of the Democratic Leadership Council's
2006 State and Local Playbook. Following are excerpts
from three recent works:
Balancing
Budgets Responsibly:
"Tough budgetary decisions will likely be a reality for
state and local officials in the foreseeable future. Many
are looking for ways to balance their budgets responsibly,
without resorting to cuts in important investments or tax
hikes on middle-class families. One alternative is to find
savings by identifying and implementing better and smarter
ways to deliver services. By focusing on government through
a practical rather than an ideological lens, many state and
local leaders are finding creative ways to identify performance
improvements that save money or bring in additional non-tax
revenues from the federal government."
P-20
Councils:
"In July 2005, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano established
a P-20 Council to bring business leaders, policymakers, and
educators together with the collective goal of ensuring that
the state!&s schools are producing the talent needed to
grow Arizona!&s economy. The council is charged with increasing
the overall quality of education in the state, as evidenced
by the number of students who graduate from high school, succeed
in college, and join the workforce well-prepared." \
Making
Green Waves:
"State retirement fund managers ... are launching initiatives
to promote greater awareness of the problem and using their
massive public pension funds to invest in firms that develop
cleaner technology. "
- To
learn more about Public Works,
click here.
- If
you'd like to see a full copy of any of the stories mentioned
below, please contact
us today
|
