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SLGR: Dr. Eric Stokan Appointed Outreach Coordinator, Volunteer Outreach Team Needed; Ann Bowman R&E article; more!

July 28, 2016 2:01 pm / Leave a comment

New Outreach Coordinator Post

SLGR has made significant strides in the past several years with respect to the number of subscribers, the number and quality of manuscripts to be considered for publication, and in its general visibility in the fields of political science, public administration, and public policy. Over the last several months, the editorial staff spent considerable time discussing ways to continue to promote the journal.  The general consensus was that SLGR needed an individual who can devote his or her attention to promoting the journal and increasing its visibility. This will entail, but not limited to the following;

  • Work with the SLGR Social Media Coordinator to develop a blog that has never been fully utilized.
  • Contacting program directors in the U.S. and abroad, asking them to share with their faculty and students in the department/program the benefits of joining SIAM and subscribing to SLGR, publication assistance available to new faculty and graduate students through the Young Scholars Research Outreach Program, usage of SLGR podcasts in the classroom, and consideration of SLGR as an outlet for their research and a source for articles worthy of citation when preparing manuscripts. .
  • Coordinate with/maximize the PR efforts of Sage Publications
  • Engage with our international board members to increase the visibility of SLGR in other countries
  • Engage with professional associations such as National League of Cities (NLC), National Association of Counties (NACo), and International City/County Management Association (ICCMA) to stress the relevance of SLGR to their membership and to search out ways that we can better partner with them.

The editorial leadership at SLGR is pleased to announce that Dr. Eric Stokan, an assistant professor of political science at Towson University, has agreed to lead this effort and serve as our first Outreach Coordinator.  He completed his Ph.D. in the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University and his MA and BA in political science at Wayne State University.  His teaching and research focuses on state, local, and metropolitan issues.  Specifically, he focuses on governmental decisions to adopt and abandon economic development policies and the impact those policies have on city and regional economic growth. His recent publications have focused on the effects of business incubators, the role of deindustrialization across metropolitan areas, and on the decision of governments to adopt economic development incentives.

Join the Inaugural SLGR Outreach Team

State and Local Government Review is currently accepting applications to be part of its inaugural outreach committee.  We are looking for 3-5 academics and practitioners who are interested in state and local government and governance issues.  The team will be responsible for ensuring practitioners and academics that work in the area are familiar with the journal as a source of information and as an outlet for their own scholarly efforts.

Tasks and Responsibilities of Members

  • Develop and Foster a Network of Scholars and Practitioners
    • Review journals and conference proceedings to find academics and practitioners who would be interested in SLGR as an outlet for their research
    • Promote the Young Scholar’s Program to junior faculty and advanced graduate students
  • Promote Outreach via Social Media
    • Write guest posts on the SLGR blog to connect target network with research from SLGR
    • Use social media tools (Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) to reach audiences in real time regarding SLGR news and events
  • Expand SLGR Readership
    • Promote SLGR to academics and practitioners abroad
  • Contribute to long-term outreach strategy
    • As an inaugural member, you will help chart the way for future outreach endeavors

Benefits to Membership on Team

  • Network with Other Junior Scholars
    • Have access to other junior scholars who also teach and publish on state and local government and governance topics
    • Create a community of information sharing regarding cutting-edge research taking place on these topics
  • Access to Leaders in the Field
    • Being a part of the outreach team provides unique access to the journal’s leadership
  • Visibility in the area of State and Local Government
    • As a member of the outreach team, you will increase your own visibility through recognition of your scholarly service contributions in:
      • The SLGR blog when writing guest posts
      • The Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management (SIAM) at the annual American Society of Public Administration (ASPA) conference
      • Through the SIAM Newsletter

If you are interested in being an inaugural member of this team, please send a brief description (500 words or less) description of your interests and outreach ideas, along with a copy of your CV by September 16, 2016 to Eric Stokan at Ericjstokan@gmail.com.

Social Media

We’re working to increase the visibility of State and Local Government Review and especially to involve SIAM members.  You can get the latest SLGR news and updates by following us on twitter (@SLGReview) and by liking our Facebook page (facebook.com/SLGReview), where we share and discuss current SLGR OnLine First articles and related blogs and news articles.  You can also join the conversation by following our new blog (slgrjournal.wordpress.com), which features SLGR news and information and is launching a special summer blog series on publishing.  We’d love to hear from you, if you have comments, suggestions, or would like to contribute a piece to the blog, please contact our Social Media Coordinator, Tracy Johns, at tjohns@ufl.edu.

Free Classroom Aids!

We want to remind you that SLGR has produced a growing number of podcasts which could serve as excellent teaching aids in both the undergraduate and undergraduate classroom.  Topics range from state and local government debt financing to civic engagement in times of fiscal stress to collaboration among local governments as a means of adapting to the New Normal to management experience in small cities.  Please check out our catalog of podcasts [https://siam-aspa.net/2016/07/28/state-and-local-government-review-podcasts-available-now/].   

Assistance Needed

We continue to need your assistance and that of your colleagues in several crucial areas.  First, you can assist us in generating greater visibility for SLGR by signing up for e-mail alerts and encourage others to also do so.  Please consider doing that today, since it only takes a minute.  SLGR will send you an email each time a new issue publishes, and you can also add alerts for Online First articles or journal announcements. Visit http://slg.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts to create an account with your email address, and click on the alert types you’d like to receive. SAGE won’t use your email address for any other marketing purposes, but only to send you information on SLGR.

A second area in which you can help us is to cite SLGR articles where possible.  Since SLGR was purchased by Sage Publications, Inc. in early 2010, getting SLGR listed in the Thomson Citation Index has been a major goal.  Achievement of this objective will assist in raising not only the visibility of the journal but will also put us in a more esteemed category of blind-refereed academic journals.  You and your colleagues can help us in achieving this objective by citing, where relevant and appropriate, SLGR articles when you prepare papers and articles.

Hot Item!: Ann Bowman’s R&E Article

In case you might have missed reading it, the Reviews & Essays (R&E) installment (Volume 48, Issue #1, March 2016) by R&E Editor Brianne Heidbredder is definitely a “must” read [http://slg.sagepub.com/content/48/1/63.abstract]. The article is predicated on a lengthy conversation that Professor Heidbredder had with leading scholar, Ann Bowman (she holds the Hazel Davis and Robert Kennedy Endowed Chair in government and public service at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University).  In light of the reality that the operation and study of state and local government and politics has undergone a significant transformation in the last several decades, Professor Bowman was asked to discuss the past, present, and future of state, local, and intergovernmental research.  While the essay was not intended to be an exhaustive examination of the “state” of the state, local, and intergovernmental literature, it nonetheless does explore various interesting lines of inquiry that deserves continued scholarly attention and discusses the potential for research to inform practice.

State and Local Government Review Podcasts available now!

July 28, 2016 1:53 pm / Leave a comment

“Small-City Management Experience:  Does It Matter for Getting and Keeping the Large-City Managerial Job?” (October 2011)

Author James Thurmond (University of Houston) discusses his article (December 2010, Vol. 42, No. 3) with SLGR Managing Editor J. Edwin Benton and graduate students Crystal Davis (Texas A&M University), Nijah Fudge (University of Kansas), and Edgar Freeman (University of Baltimore).

***

“Governance Challenges and Options for State and Local Governments” (February 2012)

SLGR Social Media Editor Beverly Bunch (University of Illinois, Springfield) interviews author Bruce J. Perlman (SLGR Governance Matters Editor and University of New Mexico) and panelists John Thomasian (Principal, Black Point Policy Solutions LLC and formerly the Director of the Center for Best Practices at the National Governors’ Association), Jackie Byers (Director of Research and Outreach at National Association of Counties), and Christopher Hoene (Director for the Center on Research and Innovation at National League of Cities) about their article (December 2010, Vol. 42, No. 3).

***

“Local Government Diversity Initiatives in Oregon:  An Exploratory Study” (November 2012)

SLGR Social Media Editor Beverly Bunch (University of Illinois, Springfield) interviews author Masami Nishishiba (Portland State University) and panelists Anthony Sisneros (University of Illinois, Springfield) and Omar Small (assistant city manager in New Rochelle, New York) about Nishishiba’s article (April 2012, Vol. 44, No. 1).

***

“Addressing Remnants of the Past: Proactive Responses to Equity Issues in Public Administration.” (May 2013)

SLGR Social Media Editor Beverly Bunch (University of Illinois, Springfield) interviews author Steven F. Spina (University of South Florida and city manager in Zephyrhills, Florida) and panelists William Poe (city manager of Dade City, Florida) and Ron Carlee (City Manager of Charlotte, North Carolina and former chief operating officer of the International City/County Management Association) about Spina’s article (June 2013, Vol. 45, No. 2).

***

“Increasing the Usefulness of Academic Scholarship for Local Government Practitioners” (July 2013)

Lead author and Social Media Editor Beverly Bunch (University of Illinois, Springfield) and four local government managers—Pamela Brangaccio (city manager of New Smyrna Beach, Florida), Daniel Fitzpatrick (city manager of Rochester, New Hampshire), and Greg Sund, (county administrator of Ellis County, Kansas),and Daryl Delabbio (county administrator/controller of Kent County, Michigan)—join to discuss her article (September 2013, Vol. 45, No. 3).

***

“Not All Refinancings Are Created Equal: A Framework for Assessing State and Local Government Debt Refinancing Measures” (March 2014)

SLGR Social Media Editor Beverly Bunch (University of Illinois, Springfield) interviews author Dr. Martin Luby (DePaul University) and two state officials—Sandi Thompson (Director of the Office of State and Local Finance, Comptroller of the Treasury, for the State of Tennessee) and Jim Joseph (State Bond Advisor for the State of Oklahoma)—about Luby article (March 2014, Vol. No. 1).

***

“Special Issue: Local Government” Collaboration (July 2014

SLGR Social Media Editor Beverly Bunch (University of Illinois, Springfield) interviews four of authors of the articles in the Special Issue—J. Edwin Benton (University of South Florida and SLGR Managing Editor), Cheryl Hilvert (International City/County Management Association), Daryl J. Delabbio (county manager in Kent County, Michigan, and Jered B. Carr (University of Illinois, Chicago) about their articles and related issues.

***

“Strategic Alignment of the New Normal: Collaboration, Sustainability, and Deliberation in Local Government Across Boundaries” (February 2015)

SLGR Managing Editor J. Edwin Benton interviews five public managers across the United States—Michele Baker (county administrator in Pasco County, Florida), Rod Gould (city manager in Santa Monica, California), Mike Wilkes (city manager in Olatahe, Kansas), Davie Krings (administrator in the Village of Lockland, Ohio), and Peter Chichton (county manager in  Cumberland County, Maine)—about the current challenges faced by their local governments and their reflections on an article by Michael Abels  (University of Central Florida) entitled ”Strategic Alignment for the New Normal: Collaboration, Sustainability, and Deliberation in Local Government Across Boundaries” (September 2014, Vol. 46, No. 3).

***

“Civic Engagement and Fiscal Stress in American Cities: Insights from the Great Recession” (November 2015)

SLGR Podcast Editor Anne Williamson (University of Missouri-Kansas City) interviews author Marcia Godwin (University of LaVerne), Aimee Franklin (University of Oklahoma), and Jim Giles (Director of Council & Community Relations, Office of the Mayor, Kansas City, Missouri) about local government experiences with civic engagement in American cities during the Great Recession and the relevance of Dr. Godwin’s article titled “Civic Engagement and Fiscal Stress in American Cities: Insights from the Great Recession” (December 2014, Vol. 46, No. 4).

 

 

 

Call for Proposals: State and Local Government Review

March 7, 2016 5:14 pm / Leave a comment

2016 Special Issue on Political and Ideological Polarization and Its Impact on Subnational Governments

Michael J. Scicchitano, University of Florida, Editor

Political and Ideological polarization in the United States is evident at all levels of government—federal, state and local.  While this polarization is interesting from a political or electoral perspective, it also has profound implications for governance.  The impacts are certainly felt at each level of government but also through the intergovernmental system.

There are at least four plausible dimensions or scenarios resulting from political and ideological polarization.  First, polarization at the national level can have a rippling effect on state and local governments.  Perhaps the most obvious example would be in a policy area like immigration, once thought to be the province of the federal government, where pressing problems associated with it must be resolved by state and local governments since the federal government has been unwilling or unable to craft solutions.  Witness the actions of a number of states that have tried going it alone in dealing with the fallout of no federal government action to deal with the issue of illegal immigration.  Other examples can be found in policy areas (e.g., homeland security, transportation, education, health care, taxation, and economic inequality) where over the years the federal government has articulated an express and overriding interest via federal fiscal assistance or mandates.  Here again, the inability of the federal government to craft realistic solutions or instead sends mixed signals ultimately means that these problems are passed down to the states and even to local governments where they cannot be ignored.  Examples abound like the federal government keeping school districts across the nation in limbo about compliance with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) by procrastinating for years in renewing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).  Another example has been Congressional delay in enacting legislation (referred to as a marketplace fairness act) that would produce much-needed additional revenue for state and local governments from Internet sales and other out-of-state retailers. (more…)

State and Local Government Review News

May 30, 2015 9:40 pm / Leave a comment

Special Issue on “Economic Polarization and Challenges to Subnational Governments“
Long before the onset of the Great Recession, subnational governments both within and outside of the United Sates were continuously being confronted with problematic issues and challenges that seemed to defy any plausible remedy.  One of these challenges was how to reasonably and successfully address the increasing economic polarization of the residents of various subnational jurisdictions, along with the possible concomitant loss of the middle class.  Polarization has been linked to higher crime rates, issues of increased hunger (especially among school children), racial and ethnic unrest, distrust of authority, increases in political alienation and cynicism, decreases in political efficacy, and the loss of businesses that mostly serve middle class residents. At the same time, subnational governments have had to deal with the loss of substantial amounts of traditional kinds of revenue that are vitally needed to address these problems and resultant issues.  The severity and magnitude of these complex and interrelated challenges points to the need for scholarly study.  Plausible research questions include the following: 
·         From a governance perspective, what exactly does the term economic polarization mean?  Does this mean that there is both a decline of a “middle class” and a great divide between the lower and upper income classes?   What are the different manifestations of this phenomenon such as the degree of loss of the middle class as well as economic polarization?  What stage or level of economic polarization can result in policy or governance problems for subnational governments?

·         To what extent do taxing and spending policies at subnational levels redistribute burdens and benefits?

·         What are the specific ways/policy areas that polarization is evident (i.e., education, housing, stagnant wages, etc.)?

·         Has there been a change in the level of middle class loss or economic polarization? If so, when did these changes begin, are they increasing, or is it stable or declining? What are the best techniques to document or monitor these changes?

·         What factors contribute to increased economic polarization–actions by international, national, or subnational governments?

·         What are the implications of middle class loss and/ or economic polarization for subnational governance-i.e. what problems has this caused for subnational governments?

·         What actions have or could subnational governments take to reduce the loss of the middle class and economic polarization as well reduce the impact on their citizens?

·         Why hasn’t societal and economic information shown a capacity to scale effectively across jurisdictional, operational, and organizational boundaries?  Are we missing major policies and monitoring procedures that would identify this process more effectively, leading to more timely policy action?
Given the timeliness and importance of this subject matter and issue, the decision was made in early 2015 to dedicate the next Special Issue of State and Local Government Review to the topic of “Economic Polarization and Challenges to Subnational Governments.”  The call for papers went out in mid-February.  By April 1, we had not received a sufficient number of quality proposals from which to choose.  Therefore, it was decided to extend the submission deadline until May 1.  This resulted in a substantial number of additional proposals being submitted and increased the pool to 22 proposals.  In fact, we had more good proposals to choose from than we had space to include them in a 72-page issue.  Therefore, we selected what we thought were the five best proposals and invited the author(s) to develop a draft for initial review.  We also thought so highly of two other proposals that we invited the authors to develop manuscripts for consideration as general interest articles in SLGR.  The subject matter of the five commissioned papers for the special symposium includes the following: the impact of the political economy on inequality-producing policies; progressive responses to income polarization; redistribution as a part of mayoral policy agendas; the geography of urban poverty; and the impact on metropolitan polarization on local government reorganization.
The Special Issue will be published as the last issue of 2015 (Volume 47, Issue Number 4). 
Young Scholar Outreach Program
To date, the Young Scholar Outreach Program, that is designed to assist doctoral students seeking job placements and new faculty with a position at the instructor, assistant professor, or beginning associate professor level to get published in academia, is off to an excellent start.  Around twenty people have already contacted Dr. Scicchitano seeking guidance since the Program was launched in the Spring of 2014, and three manuscripts originating from the Program have either been published or awaiting publication in SLGR.  They are as follows:
  • “Political Trust in the American States” by Aaron C. Weinschenk and David J. Helpap (March 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1 Issue)
  • “Morality Politics and Municipal LGBT Policy Adoption: A Rare Event Analysis” (March 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1 Issue)
  • “Government by Advice: Public Participation and Policymaking through Advisory Ballot Measures” by Todd Ely (June 2015, Vol.47, No. 2 Issue)
Persons having questions or wanting to participate in the program are encouraged to send an email to SLGR Editor Michael Scicchitano at mscicc@ufl.edu  or call him at (352) 846-2874. 
Assistance Needed
We continue to need your assistance and that of your colleagues in several crucial areas.  First, you can assist us in generating greater visibility for SLGR by signing up for e-mail alerts and encourage others to also do so.  Please consider doing that today, since it only takes a minute.  SLGR will send you an email each time a new issue publishes, and you can also add alerts for Online First articles or journal announcements. Visit http://slg.sagepub.com/cgi/alertsto create an account with your email address, and click on the alert types you’d like to receive. SAGE won’t use your email address for any other marketing purposes, only to send you information on SLGR.
A second area in which you can help us is to cite SLGR articles where possible.  Since SLGR was purchased by Sage Publications, Inc. in early 2010, getting SLGR listed in the Thomson Citation Index has been a major goal.  Achievement of this objective will assist in raising not only the visibility of the journal but will also put us in a more esteemed category of blind-refereed academic journals.  You and your colleagues can help us in achieving this objective by citing, where relevant and appropriate, SLGR articles when you prepare papers and articles.
In addition, we could use your assistance in increasing the visibility of SLGR around the world.  Here are some specific things that you could do for us:
  • Identify academic programs related to public policy or administration in (specify region of the world).
  • Identify scholars in (name region) (with email contact information) who publish in the area of public policy or administration.
  • Identify national or regional meetings in (specify the region of the world) at which papers are presented that relate to public policy of administration.
  • Identify ways to help link to or promote SLGR with practitioners in (name region of the world).
  • Provide any other ideas that will help us expand the visibility of SLGR in your country or region (if you are outside the US.)
SLGR Social Media
Please take a few minutes to join in the dialogue about our SLGR articles, research related to intergovernmental administration and management, and current issues by following us on Twitter (@SLGReview) and Facebook (facebook.com/SLGReview).  We are also in the process of creating an SLGR blog to provide an expanded forum for commenting, sharing, and posting about articles and issues important to our readers.  Look for more for it soon!  As always, we welcome your suggestions to make the new blog useful and interesting for both academics and practitioners.  Please send your ideas to Tracy Johns at SLGReview@gmail.com.

State and Local Government Review: Editorial Board Meeting, Young Scholar Outreach Program, & Assistance Needed

April 22, 2015 3:09 pm / Leave a comment

SLGR Editorial Board Meeting
On Sunday March 8, 2015, SLGR held its annual Editorial Board meeting in conjunction with the ASPA Conference in Chicago.  SLGR Editor Mike Scicchitano chaired the meeting.  Six Board members, along with the Governance Matters (GM) and Reviews & Essays (R&E) Editors, the Managing Editor, Leah Fargotstein (Editor, Sage Social Science Journals), and David Hamilton (former and most recent SIAM Chair), were also in attendance in person or participated by conference call. 
Several significant special events and activities of SLGR during the past year were noted:
Ø  Number of manuscript submissions in 2014 (80) was below last year (85); number does not include submissions to GM, R&E, or Special Issue; quality of  manuscripts seem to be getting better and there has been an increase in international submissions; we continue to need your help in encouraging more submissions.
Ø  The SLGR impact factor increased by 96%from 2013 to 2014—that is, from .098 to .192; SLGR articles being cited in PAR, J-PART, Administration & Society, UAR, JUA, SPPQ, PPMR, Urban Studies, among others; SLGR acceptance rate in 2014 was 10%.
Ø  The Reviews & Essays section featured articles on retrospective look at Deil Wright’s book of IGR, women state legislators and representation, and fiscal illusion in state and local government finances
Ø  The Governance Matters section contained articles on refinancing state and local debt, environ-mental sustainability and citizen participation, and strategic re-alignment of local governments for the New Normal
Ø  Publication of Special Issue (“Emerging from the Great Recession”) as 4th issue (December) in 2014.
Ø  In September 2014, Anne Williams assumed duties as Podcast Editor; two podcast were produced in 2014 around GM article about state and local government refinancings and several articles in the 2013 Special Issue devoted to Local Government Collaboration; all podcasts can be accessed on SLGR website site at: http://slg.sagepub.com/site/misc/Index/Podcasts.xhtml.
Ø  In June 2014, Tracy Johns assumed the duties of Social Media Coordinator; SLGR Facebook pages has 126 “likes and the Twitter account has 129 followers.
Much of the meeting was spent in constructive dialogue about two important challenges to SLGR—(1) increased visibility for SLGR and articles published in it and (2) how international board members can advertise the journal.

Before discussing the first challenge, it was noted that one tool that is already available and should be exploited is the SLGR blog.  It has the potential to spark interest in and generate discussion about SLGR articles.  The blog is not only capable of creating awareness of journal articles but also may result in more SLGR articles being cited in scholarly work, and thus helping us achieve the goal of getting us listed on the Thomson Citation Index.  Therefore, we would ask that SIAM members (as well as non-SIAM members) take advantage of this new social media tool and assist us.  
Other ideas as to how to appropriately promote awareness of SLGR and its articles were offered and included:
Ø  Advertise top 10 cited articles on SLGR and Sage websites
Ø  Send out list of articles by subject area to scholars who conduct research in these areas
Ø  Designate someone to advertise SLGR articles through these and other venues
With respect to this last suggestion, new Board member Genie Stowers has since volunteered to spearhead the effort to help promote the journal and advertise its articles.  To date, several Board members have sent her additional and exciting ideas and suggestions.
It was also noted that the SLGR/Sage website has a very good search tool that enables an author writing on a certain topic to quickly and effectively search for SLGR articles related to that topic.
The Board also spent some time brainstorming how international SLGR Editorial Board members can advertise the journal and its articles.  Suggestions included:
Ø  International Board members can accomplish this when they travel to professional conferences and to even practitioner events
Ø  Thinking about scholars in other allied fields (e.g., planning broadly defined, urban sociology/geography) hat may find SLGR articles useful.
Other ideas are welcome, as we see great potential here.
Young Scholar Outreach Program
To date, the Young Scholar Outreach Program, that is designed to assist doctoral students seeking job placements and new faculty with a position at the instructor, assistant professor, or beginning associate professor level to get published in academia, is off to an excellent start.  Around twenty people have already contacted Dr. Scicchitano seeking guidance since the Program was launched in the Spring of 2014, and three manuscripts originating from the Program have either been published or awaiting publication in SLGR.  They are as follows:
  • “Political Trust in the American States” by Aaron C. Weinschenk and David J. Helpap (March 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1 Issue)
  • “Morality Politics and Municipal LGBT Policy Adoption: A Rare Event Analysis” (March 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1 Issue)
  • “Government by Advice: Public Participation and Policymaking through Advisory Ballot Measures” by Todd Ely (June 2015, Vol.47, No. 2 Issue)
Persons having questions or wanting to participate in the program are encouraged to send an email to SLGR Editor Michael Scicchitano at mscicc@ufl.edu  or call him at (352) 846-2874. 
Assistance Needed
We continue to need your assistance and that of your colleagues in several crucial areas.  First, you can assist us in generating greater visibility for SLGR by signing up for e-mail alerts and encourage others to also do so.  Please consider doing that today, since it only takes a minute.  SLGR will send you an email each time a new issue publishes, and you can also add alerts for Online First articles or journal announcements. Visit http://slg.sagepub.com/cgi/alertsto create an account with your email address, and click on the alert types you’d like to receive. SAGE won’t use your email address for any other marketing purposes, only to send you information on SLGR.
            A second area in which you can help us is to cite SLGR articles where possible.  Since SLGR was purchased by Sage Publications, Inc. in early 2010, getting SLGRlisted in the Thomson Citation Index has been a major goal.  Achievement of this objective will assist in raising not only the visibility of the journal but will also put us in a more esteemed category of blind-refereed academic journals.  You and your colleagues can help us in achieving this objective by citing, where relevant and appropriate, SLGR articles when you prepare papers and articles.

Call for Proposals: State and Local Government Review — Deadline Extension to May 1, 2015

March 31, 2015 8:34 pm / Leave a comment

DEADLINE EXTENSION UNTIL
MAY 1, 2015
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
State and Local Government Review
2015 Special Issue on Economic Polarization and Challenges to Subnational Governments
Michael J. Scicchitano, University of Florida, Editor
State and Local Government Reviewinvites authors to submit proposals for the 2015 Special Issue on “Economic Polarization and Challenges to Subnational Governments.”  The focus of the Special Issue will be to examine how subnational governments have been affected by economic polarization and how they have responded to this phenomenon.  The Special Issue will be published as the last issue of State and Local Government Review in 2015.  This publication schedule requires a shorter than normal period for the process of selecting and completing papers for the Special Issue.  Manuscripts published in the Special Issue will be reviewed and considered refereed publications.
One of the challenges that seems to have a profound impact on subnational governments is the increasing economic polarization of the residents and possibly a related loss of the middle class.  This polarization may have consequences such as higher crime rates, issues of increased hunger (especially among school children) and the loss of businesses that mostly serve middle class residents. While subnational governments face ever greater policy challenges they may also have reduced revenues to address these problems.  The 2015 State and Local Government Review Special Issue will examine issues related to the impact of the increased economic polarization on subnational governments.  State and Local welcomes proposals from all disciplines for papers related to this theme.  Below are some specific topics that would be appropriate for the 2015 Special Issue:
·         From a governance perspective, what exactly does the term economic polarization mean?  Does this mean that there is both a decline of a “middle class” and a great divide between the lower and upper income classes?   What are the different manifestations of this phenomenon such as the degree of loss of the middle class as well as economic polarization?  What stage or level of economic polarization can result in policy or governance problems for subnational governments?
·         To what extent do taxing and spending policies at subnational levels redistribute burdens and benefits?
·         What are the specific ways/policy areas that polarization is evident (i.e., education, housing, stagnant wages, etc.)?
·         Has there been a change in the level of middle class loss or economic polarization? If so, when did these changes begin, are they increasing, or is it stable or declining? What are the best techniques to document or monitor these changes?
·         What factors contribute to increased economic polarization–actions by international, national, or subnational governments?
·         What are the implications of middle class loss and/ or economic polarization for subnational governance-i.e. what problems has this caused for subnational governments?
·         What actions have or could subnational governments take to reduce the loss of the middle class and economic polarization as well reduce the impact on their citizens?
·         Why hasn’t societal and economic information shown a capacity to scale effectively across jurisdictional, operational, and organizational boundaries?  Are we missing major policies and monitoring procedures that would identify this process more effectively, leading to more timely policy action?
Please submit a proposal that outlines a specific topic that conveys how subnational governments have been affected by economic polarization and how they have responded to this phenomenon.  Clearly outline the empirical basis for the manuscript, and if your paper is data driven, please indicate whether data has already been collected. Also, identify the current status of the research and writing and the extent to which the manuscript can be completed according to the schedule outlined below.
We encourage proposals from all disciplines including but not limited to public administration, political science, sociology, economics, planning, etc. and expect to publish papers where there is collaboration between academics and practitioners and authors both from inside and outside the U.S.
Note:  Acceptable topics are not limited to those listed above.
Proposals should be submitted between February 25, 2015 and May 1, 2015 to the following email address:  slgrspecial@gmail.com   
The proposals should be double-spaced and include no more than two pages of text.  There is no need to include tables or appendices and references do not count against the two page limit. All proposals will be subject to editorial review.  Please do not send complete papers—if you have a draft of your paper, please note that in the proposal.
Submissions will be evaluated with respect to the following criteria:
·         Relevance. The proposed manuscript should examine issues related to how subnational governments have been affected by economic polarization and how they have responded to this phenomenon.   
·         Viability. The proposal should represent an achievable manuscript project within the tight time constraints required. More detail on the timeline is provided below.
·         Scope of Interest. Papers of broad interest to scholars andprofessionals will be preferred.
·         Organization and Coherence. The proposal should follow a logical structure, read clearly, and thoroughly represent the available research.
·         Insight for Future Work. The proposal should convey important implications for both future research and practice related to local government.
Due to editorial constraints, it is vital for authors to adhere to the following strict timeline. We will not be able to consider late submissions. If you have any questions, please contact the Editor at mscicc@ufl.edu or by phone at (352) 846-2874.
Relevant dates* are as follows:
·         February 25- May 1, 2015: Proposals due to the State and Local Government Review to be sent to slgrspecial@gmail.com  
·         May 15, 2015: Final decision on proposals and initial feedback provided to authors.
·         August 1, 2015: Full draft of paper due to State and Local Government Review.
·         September 1, 2015: Review and feedback to authors on full paper.
·         October 1, 2015: Final paper submitted to State and Local Government Review.  Final manuscripts should be no longer than 18 pages of text with standard margins and font size.
*Please note that these are basic guidelines, each paper may require a different number of revisions or timing to make the October 1, 2015deadline
Feel free to email or call the Editor at mscicc@ufl.edu or by phone at (352) 846-2874.if you have any questions regarding your proposal or manuscript.

State and Local Government Review: Podcasts, Young Scholar Outreach Program, Article Visibility and Impact, Social Media

February 27, 2015 2:56 pm / Leave a comment

SLGR Podcasts
            The first podcast for 2015 has been completed and is already accessible.  The focus of the podcast is Bruce J. Perlman (Governance Matters Editor and University of New Mexico) and J. Edwin Benton’s (Managing Editor and University of South Florida) Governance Matters article (“Devolutionary Realignment:  Shedding Services, Ad Hoc Collaboration, and Political Reconfiguration:  Expert Panel Comments on Michael Abels’ Article, “Strategic Alignment for the New Normal:  Collaboration, Sustainability, and Deliberation in Local Government Across Boundaries’”) that appeared in the September 2014 (Vol. 46, No. 3) issue of SLGR.  Panelists— Ms. Michele Baker (County Administrator, Pasco County Florida), Mr. Rod Gould (City Manager, Santa Monica, California), Mr. Mike Wilkes (City Manager, Olathae, Kansas), Mr. David Krings (Administrator, Village of Lockland, Ohio), and Mr. Peter Crichton (County Manager, Cumberland County, Maine)—were interviewed by J. Edwin Benton and asked to provide an assessment of the utility of Dr. Abels’ (University of Central Florida) article, as well as identify and discuss the current challenges faced by their respective local governments. 
            Podcast Editor, Anne Williamson (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa), is proposing at least two or more additional podcasts in 2015 from among the following articles:
·         2014 Special Issue on “Emerging from the Great Recession” (quite possibly two here)
·         “Research Partnerships: Bridging the Academic-Practitioner Divide” by Opp et al.
·         “Underfunding Annual Pension Contributions: Examining the Drivers of an Ongoing Fiscal  Phenomenon” by Thom and Randazzo
All eight SLGR Podcasts can be accessed from the State and Local Government Reviewwebsite at:  http://slg.sagepub.com.
(See attached list)
Young Scholar Outreach Program
To date, the Young Scholar Outreach Program, that is designed to assist doctoral students seeking job placements and new faculty with a position at the instructor, assistant professor, or beginning associate professor level to get published in academia, is off to an excellent start.  Around twenty people have already contacted Dr. Scicchitano seeking guidance since the Program was launched in the Spring of 2014, and three manuscripts originating from the Program have either been published or awaiting publication in SLGR.  They are as follows:
·         “Political Trust in the American States” by Aaron C. Weinschenk and David J. Helpap (March 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1 Issue)
·         “Morality Politics and Municipal LGBT Policy Adoption: A Rare Event Analysis” (March 2015, Vol. 47, No. 1 Issue)
·         “Government by Advice: Public Participation and Policymaking through Advisory Ballot Measures” by Todd Ely (June 2015, Vol.47, No. 2 Issue)
Persons having questions or wanting to participate in the program are encouraged to send an email to SLGR Editor Michael Scicchitano at mscicc@ufl.edu  or call him at (352) 846-2874. 
SLGR Articles:  Visibility and Impact
As evidenced by information and data regularly collected and analyzed by SLGR’s publisher (Sage Publications), there is growing recognition of the journal as a respected outlet for scholarly research.  Three indicators are most important in gauging a journal’s success—online usage, article citations in other journals, acceptance rate of manuscripts. 
As to online usage of SLGR, there are positive and encouraging signs that scholars (as well as practitioners) are checking out the journal for useful articles that are relevant for one’s research.  More specifically, information on downloads of SLGR articles indicates that full-text downloads of increased from 17,881 in 2012 to 18,921 (a 5.8% increase) and from 18,921 in 2013 to 19,780 in 2014 (a 4.5 % increase).  This importance of these information takes on added significance since, according to Sage Publications, university librarians continually monitor statistics on how often a journal is being accessed and use this information when they make their renewal and cancellation decisions
Detailed Summary of Online Usage Activity for 2012 – 2014
Online usage statistics
2012
Full-text
downloads*
2013
Full-text
downloads*
2014
Full-text
downloads*
Jan
1,100
Jan
2,082
Jan
1,246
Feb
1,325
Feb
1,568
Feb
1,713
Mar
1,394
Mar
1,471
Mar
2,249
Apr
2,190
Apr
1,906
Apr
1,956
May
1,697
May
1,185
May
1,363
Jun
981
Jun
1,105
Jun
1,230
Jul
907
Jul
1,061
Jul
1,058
Aug
1,019
Aug
1,370
Aug
954
Sep
1,547
Sep
1,883
Sep
2,284
Oct
2,862
Oct
2,386
Oct
2,405
Nov
1,773
Nov
1,723
Nov
2,072
Dec
1,086
Dec
1,181
Dec
1,250
Total
17,881
Total
18,921
Total
19,780
* Full-text downloads include both HTML and PDF article usage
** Total accesses include: abstract, home page, and TOC views; searches; and, article downloads
The following chart shows the total number of accesses to SLGR per month since 2012.
SLGRis also making noteworthy progress in having the journal’s articles cited by scholars who publish in other journals.  In the last few years, SLGR articles being cited in Public Administration Review, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, Administration & Society, American Review of Public Administration, Canadian Public Administration, Urban Affairs Review, Journal of Urban Affairs,International Journal of Public Administration, State Politics & Policy Quarterly,  Publius:  The Journal of Federalism, Public Performance & Management, Urban Studies, Urban Geography, Policy Studies Journal, and International Journal of Communication(note the diversity of journals that suggests the multi-disciplinary appeal of SLGR).  This is important because an increase in citations of SLGRarticles in other journals (but especially, more prestigious ones) can result in great visibility for and more credence placed in the stature of the journal; this phenomenon is measured by a statistic referred to as “impact factor.”  The estimated impact factor (IF) is calculated by taking the total number of citations in a given year to journal articles published in the previous two years, and dividing it by the total number of articles published in the journal in those same two years.  SLGR’s 2013 estimated impact factor was 0.098.  In 2014 the journal’s estimated impact factor was 0.192. Therefore, the 2014 IF for SLGR represents a 96% increase from 2013.
The final important factor in determining a journal’s success and academic respectability is the acceptance of manuscripts.  Here too, SLGR continues to make great strides.  The SLGR acceptance rate is measured by the number of manuscript of general interest accepted in a given year by the number of those articles submitted for consideration during the same year.  In 2014, SLGRreceived 80 manuscripts of general interest, with 8 of those being accepted for publication.
This results in an acceptance rate of 10%.  Over the last decade, the acceptance rate for SLGR averaged around 16%.  It is worth noting that the acceptance ratio of SLGR compares favorably with other journals in the field:  Public Administration Review(15%), Administrative Science Quarterly(11%), American Review of Public Administration (17%), Administration and Society (20%), and International Journal of Public Administration (30%). 
As you complete your research projects, please remember that the SLGR website has a very effective search engine.  You can insert key words related to your research and quickly find relevant articles.  This will strengthen you research as well as increase the visibility of State and Local.
SLGR Social Media
Our reach, engagement, and mentions on social media continue to grow each month on Facebook (facebook.com/SLGReview) and twitter (@SLGReview). To better integrate content across social media platforms, we launched our blog (slgrjournal.wordpress.com) with a formal
announcement of the SLGR 2015 Special Issue. We hope this new blog will provide an online venue for more in-depth discussions of SLGR articles and podcasts, including Question & Answer sessions with authors and further interaction between authors, editors, and readers. Please join the SLGR discussion online!Our reach, engagement, and mentions on social media continue to grow
each month on Facebook (facebook.com/SLGReview) and twitter
(@SLGReview). To better integrate content across social media platforms,
we launched our blog (slgrjournal.wordpress.com) with a formal
announcement of the SLGR 2015 Special Issue. We hope this new blog will
provide an online venue for more in-depth discussions of SLGR articles
and podcasts, including Question & Answer sessions with authors and
further interaction between authors, editors, and readers. Please join
the SLGR discussion online!Our reach, engagement, and mentions on social media continue to grow
each month on Facebook (facebook.com/SLGReview) and twitter
(@SLGReview). To better integrate content across social media platforms,
we launched our blog (slgrjournal.wordpress.com) with a formal
announcement of the SLGR 2015 Special Issue. We hope this new blog will
provide an online venue for more in-depth discussions of SLGR articles
and podcasts, including Question & Answer sessions with authors and
further interaction between authors, editors, and readers. Please join
the SLGR discussion online!Our reach, engagement, and mentions on social media continue to grow
each month on Facebook (facebook.com/SLGReview) and twitter
(@SLGReview). To better integrate content across social media platforms,
we launched our blog (slgrjournal.wordpress.com) with a formal
announcement of the SLGR 2015 Special Issue. We hope this new blog will
provide an online venue for more in-depth discussions of SLGR articles
and podcasts, including Question & Answer sessions with authors and
further interaction between authors, editors, and readers. Please join
the SLGR discussion online!

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: 2015 Special Issue of State and Local Government Review on Emerging from the Great Recession

February 24, 2015 2:46 am / Leave a comment

 CALL FOR PROPOSALS
State and Local Government Review
2015 Special Issue on Economic Polarization and Challenges to Subnational Governments
Michael J. Scicchitano, University of Florida, Editor
State and Local Government Reviewinvites authors to submit proposals for the 2015 Special Issue on “Economic Polarization and Challenges to Subnational Governments.”  The focus of the Special Issue will be to examine how subnational governments have been affected by economic polarization and how they have responded to this phenomenon.  The Special Issue will be published as the last issue of State and Local Government Review in 2015.  This publication schedule requires a shorter than normal period for the process of selecting and completing papers for the Special Issue.  Manuscripts published in the Special Issue will be reviewed and considered refereed publications.
One of the challenges that seems to have a profound impact on subnational governments is the increasing economic polarization of the residents and possibly a related loss of the middle class.  This polarization may have consequences such as higher crime rates, issues of increased hunger (especially among school children) and the loss of businesses that mostly serve middle class residents. While subnational governments face ever greater policy challenges they may also have reduced revenues to address these problems.  The 2015 State and Local Government Review Special Issue will examine issues related to the impact of the increased economic polarization on subnational governments.  State and Local welcomes proposals from all disciplines for papers related to this theme.  Below are some specific topics that would be appropriate for the 2015 Special Issue:
  •  From a governance perspective, what exactly does the term economic polarization mean?  Does this mean that there is both a decline of a “middle class” and a great divide between the lower and upper income classes?   What are the different manifestations of this phenomenon such as the degree of loss of the middle class as well as economic polarization?  What stage or level of economic polarization can result in policy or governance problems for subnational governments?
  • To what extent do taxing and spending policies at subnational levels redistribute burdens and benefits?
  •  What are the specific ways/policy areas that polarization is evident (i.e., education, housing, stagnant wages, etc.)?
  •   Has there been a change in the level of middle class loss or economic polarization? If so, when did these changes begin, are they increasing, or is it stable or declining? What are the best techniques to document or monitor these changes?
  • What factors contribute to increased economic polarization–actions by international, national, or subnational governments?
  • What are the implications of middle class loss and/ or economic polarization for subnational governance-i.e. what problems has this caused for subnational governments?
  •  What actions have or could subnational governments take to reduce the loss of the middle class and economic polarization as well reduce the impact on their citizens?
  •  Why hasn’t societal and economic information shown a capacity to scale effectively across jurisdictional, operational, and organizational boundaries?  Are we missing major policies and monitoring procedures that would identify this process more effectively, leading to more timely policy action?

Please submit a proposal that outlines a specific topic that conveys how subnational governments have been affected by economic polarization and how they have responded to this phenomenon.  Clearly outline the empirical basis for the manuscript, and if your paper is data driven, please indicate whether data has already been collected. Also, identify the current status of the research and writing and the extent to which the manuscript can be completed according to the schedule outlined below.
We encourage proposals from all disciplines including but not limited to public administration, political science, sociology, economics, planning, etc. and expect to publish papers where there is collaboration between academics and practitioners and authors both from inside and outside the U.S.
Note:  Acceptable topics are not limited to those listed above.
Proposals should be submitted between February 25, 2015 and April 1, 2015 to the following email address:  slgrspecial@gmail.com   
The proposals should be double-spaced and include no more than two pages of text.  There is no need to include tables or appendices and references do not count against the two page limit. All proposals will be subject to editorial review.  Please do not send complete papers—if you have a draft of your paper, please note that in the proposal.
Submissions will be evaluated with respect to the following criteria:
·         Relevance. The proposed manuscript should examine issues related to how subnational governments have been affected by economic polarization and how they have responded to this phenomenon.   
·         Viability. The proposal should represent an achievable manuscript project within the tight time constraints required. More detail on the timeline is provided below.
·         Scope of Interest. Papers of broad interest to scholars andprofessionals will be preferred.
·         Organization and Coherence. The proposal should follow a logical structure, read clearly, and thoroughly represent the available research.
·         Insight for Future Work. The proposal should convey important implications for both future research and practice related to local government.
Due to editorial constraints, it is vital for authors to adhere to the following strict timeline. We will not be able to consider late submissions. If you have any questions, please contact the Editor at mscicc@ufl.edu or by phone at (352) 846-2874.
Relevant dates* are as follows:
·         February 25- April 1, 2015: Proposals due to the State and Local Government Review to be sent to slgrspecial@gmail.com  
·         April 15, 2015: Final decision on proposals and initial feedback provided to authors.
·         July 15, 2015: Full draft of paper due to State and Local Government Review.
·         August 15, 2015: Review and feedback to authors on full paper.
·         September 15, 2015: Final paper submitted to State and Local Government Review.  Final manuscripts should be no longer than 18 pages of text with standard margins and font size.
*Please note that these are basic guidelines, each paper may require a different number of revisions or timing to make the September 15, 2015 deadline

Feel free to email or call me if you have any questions regarding your proposal or manuscript.