Happy New Year to all our readers! It's a little late, perhaps, but this is our first issue of 2012, and our columnists have been gazing into their crystal balls to see what the year has in store. The answer is: Who knows, in these troubled times?

If you were looking for the new year to bring new hope and job security for local government staff, think again. The turmoil is certainly not going away, I regret to report.