This task force was unanimous in its belief that the movement toward employee participation and cooperation between labor and mgmt. offers state and local government an unparalleled opportunity to improve delivery and quality of services. This report provides not only dozens of examples, but lays out specifics on how to initiate and sustain such workplace practices. It details how roles of labor and mgmt. leadership and of key professionals in a highly productive and cooperative public workplace are often quite different that traditional labor, management, and administrative roles. Features of a service-oriented collective bargaining law.

America’s cities are increasingly acknowledged as sites of renewal and economic opportunity—but how can city leaders facing physical and financial constraints harness this positive energy to create sustainable development? The story of Cleveland in the early 1980s provides the necessary roadmap. Mayor George V. Voinovich, by drawing on the combined strengths of the public and private sectors, took Cleveland from financial default to becoming “America’s Comeback City,” and he later used the best practices he developed there to tackle state-level challenges as governor of Ohio. The public-private partnership model that Voinovich pioneered has since become the gold standard for cities seeking to maximize resources. Using lessons from Cleveland, Voinovich developed this handbook for governments and private entities seeking a mutually enriching partnership. It is his legacy to those who will guide America’s cities to new growth and vitality.