Entries by Stephen Lisauskas

A Practitioner’s Guide to Outsourcing

There is emerging academic literature on the topic of government contracting and outsourcing. This paper does not seek to examine outsourcing from an academic perspective, however, but rather seeks to be a practitioner’s guide to the issue. In doing so, this paper outlines important managerial and political considerations that may help leaders evaluate the potential of outsourcing services.

Evolution in Performance Management

StatNet – a performance management system of government performance management programs – is helping to improve the effectiveness of local government. This evolution – from managing performance locally to sharing data to establish industry benchmarks – has the potential to revolutionize municipal management.

Giving Voters the Information They Need

Here we sit on election eve.  Before us are decisions not only for Governor and Treasurer, but also questions about reducing the sales tax and others.  Our discussions to date – though many, varied and at times heated – have been general in nature.  “Should we cut the sales tax or not.” “Cutting the sales tax will reduce State Aid to your community by $2 million.”  These discussions are interesting but largely unhelpful (though I appreciate community-by-community data, which at least provides a basis for discussion).  The question is, however, what does this mean to you, to me, to the people government serves?  Would a loss of $2 million cause 1,000 fewer potholes to be paved in Town X each […]