Recently in Websites/Databases/Blogs Category

Source: National Governors Association, 2010

States play a significant role in health reform implementation as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Some components of the law must be developed and implemented quickly, while other will involve a complex set of state decisions and long-term planning and implementation. Governors and other state officials need clear information, guidance and tools to determine the best course for their state.

This website is intended to be a central resource for state leaders about health reform implementation. In addition to NGA and Consortium publications, all relevant guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as priority publications from other organizations, is included on this site.
Related:
Health Reform Implementation
Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, 2010

Source: Center for Housing Policy, March 23, 2010

This online, interactive database is regularly updated and presents wage information for more than 60 occupations, as well as home prices and rents for nearly 200 metropolitan areas, allowing workers to see how their wages stack up against housing costs in their area.

Source: National Labor Relations Board, Press Release, August 5, 2010

The National Labor Relations Board today issued its first decisions in cases that were returned to it by the federal courts of appeals following a Supreme Court ruling that the Board was not authorized to decide cases when it had only two members, Chairman Wilma Liebman and Member Peter Schaumber.

Also today, the Agency made public a database of all contested cases that were decided by the two-member Board. The list of cases, available here and via the Agency website at www.nlrb.gov, includes links to original documents and case status updates that will be refreshed daily. A full data set of all the cases is also available in xml format for download.

From January 2008 to April 2010, the Board operated with three of its five seats vacant. During that 27-month period, the two remaining members issued nearly 600 decisions. On June 17, a divided Supreme Court ruled that the two-member Board was not authorized to issue decisions.

Source: Office of the Federal Register, 2010

From the announcement:
The Office of the Federal Register (OFR) and the Government Printing Office (GPO) are moving the Federal Register Home Page and the Public Inspection Desk to www.OFR.gov. Please reset your bookmarks before July 26, 2010. This change is necessary to make way for a new edition the daily Federal Register, an unofficial "Web 2.0" prototype, which will be hosted on FederalRegister.gov.

The Federal Register Home Page on OFR.gov will continue to feature the electronic Public Inspection Desk, the Privacy Act Issuances for 2007 and 2009, and the OFR Catalog, which links to all Federal Register publications and services.

As of July 26, 2010, the FederalRegister.gov website will display an XML prototype of the daily Federal Register. It is not an official legal edition of the Federal Register, and does not replace the official print version or the official electronic version on GPO's Federal Digital System. OFR and GPO are posting the unofficial XML prototype of the Federal Register to gather public feedback, with the aim of granting it official status in the future. It will remain an unofficial informational resource until the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register issues a regulation granting it official legal status.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has developed an interactive state and county map application. The application displays geographic economic data through maps, charts, and tables, allowing users to explore employment and wage data of private industry at the National, State, and county level. Throughout this application, URLs are specific to the data displayed, so links can be bookmarked, reused, and shared. The application includes maps, charts, tables, and a link to standard BLS data tables and graphs.

Source: Save Libraries, 2010

Save Libraries is a grassroots effort to compile information and advocacy resources for libraries that are facing devastating budget cuts. We are in the midst of what American Library Association and the Center for Library and Information Innovation at the University of Maryland call a "perfect storm" of growing community demand for library services and shrinking resources to meet that demand.

Source: Sunshine Review, 2010

Sunshine Review is a non-profit organization dedicated to state and local government transparency. The Sunshine Review wiki collects and shares transparency information and uses a "10-point Transparency Checklist" to evaluate the content of every state and more than 5,000 local government websites. Sunshine Review collaborates with individuals and organizations throughout America in the cause of an informed citizenry and an accountable government.

The first focus of Sunshine Review is an awareness-building effort to evaluate the transparency of local government entities, based on if the websites proactively disclose government data.

- See which local government websites rank highest
- Watch free video tutorials for this wiki
- Learn about freedom of information laws
- Check out government spending in your state
- Read the latest transparency news

Source: United Association for Labor Education, 2010

The following links and downloads were contributed by UALE email list members in response to a request for materials that counter current negative public discourse about public sector workers and their unions.

Source: Center for Transit Oriented Development, 2010

The Housing + Transportation Affordability Index, was developed by CNT and its collaborative partner, the Center for Transit Oriented Development (CTOD), as a project of The Brookings Institution's Urban Markets Initiative.

Americans traditionally consider housing affordable if it costs 30 percent or less of their income. The Housing + Transportation Affordability Index, in contrast, offers the true cost of housing based on its location by measuring the transportation costs associated with place.

The first phase was released in January 2006 and specifically examined the variables that inform Housing + Transportation costs in St. Paul/ Minneapolis, MN. The key finding of this report is that location matters, and can affect the true cost of housing when transportation costs are factored in. For more information see The Affordability Index: A New Tool for Measuring the True Affordability of a Housing Choice.

The latest release in March 2010 expands the H + T analysis to over 330 metros in the U.S., providing coverage for more than 80% of the population in the U.S.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, 2010

From the press release:
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today announced the availability of a new tool to help labor organizations understand the rules governing union officer elections.

The interactive, online Union Elections Advisor describes the rights of union members and candidates in union officer elections, and the responsibilities of union officers and others involved in conducting elections, as prescribed by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, as amended (LMRDA).

The Union Elections Advisor is one of a series of elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors developed by DOL to help employers and employees understand federal employment laws. To access it, visit the elaws Web site. To learn more about the LMRDA or related matters, visit the Office of Labor-Management Standards Web site.