Spend a few minutes looking at this report from The Center for Public Integrity.
The study details how unfocused policy can lead to lots of goodies for special interest groups, especially developers.
From the report: “Virtually all players agree there is no coordinated vision in setting priorities for federal transportation projects. That vacuum has led to a tidal wave of earmarks by Congress. Quite naturally real estate developers and other interests make great efforts to influence which projects get funded. As a group, more than 100 real estate development interests – including …

Have you returned your form yet?
Take a look at the Census Bureau’s interactive map - how does your neighborhood compare?

Urban areas tend to lag behind in their Census count.
Here’s an interesting Census-related story from The New York Times about the anticipation surrounding the count in New Orleans. “Ever since this city was full of water and nearly empty of residents in September 2005, the true size of New Orleans has been a matter of wild uncertainty. Even today, population estimates can swing by the tens of thousands.”
-KG

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland yesterday signed legislation that will make it easier for cities to take control of vacant and abandoned properties.
The land bank legislation was championed by Cuyahoga County officials and urban policy advocates alike. It will allow county governments to establish land banks to clear the title to foreclosed homes and begin the process of returning the property to productive use.
Many Ohio Cities have long operated their own land banks. However, without a strong legal framework, local efforts have been challenging.
The state law is modeled after a program …

Read about the efforts of young St. Louisans (St. Louis-ites? STLers?) to bring more brain and creative power to their city.
Rust Wire readers will see at least two familiar names in this story– that of Jeff and Randy Vines, frequent contributors to this site! Keep up the good work guys!
-KG

From the Atlantic Magazine. An interesting round-up of some Rust Belt stories and trends that have made national news recently.
-KG