Abstract
This Special Issue of State and Local Government Review was made possible by the tireless efforts and generous support of Christopher W. Hoene, Director for the Center on Research and Innovation, at the National League of Cities and Jaqueline Byers, Director of Research and Outreach, at the National Association of Counties. Chris and Jackie were not only instrumental in securing financial support from their respective institutions for the Special Issue but also helped to suggest the theme of “New Normal” or how local governments will adapt to fundamental financial changes as a result of the Great Recession. In addition, they helped in the effort to collect data for the first article that provides timely and original data on how city and county governments in the U.S. are managing the transition to the “New Normal.” The collection of articles in the Special Issue will serve as an important reference for information on how local governments have adapted and managed the several fiscal crises caused by the Great Recession. We thank Chris and Jackie for their support and commitment to the study and practice of governance for cities and counties.