Columbus, Ohio is by far the best performing city in Ohio. In a state that has become a byword for the challenges and pain of de-industrialization, Columbus is a clear standout, with strong economic and population growth. A lot of the analysis of what makes Columbus different from Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton, Youngstown, and even Cincinnati often starts out by noting all the advantages Columbus had. It is the state capital. Ohio State University is there. It was not a traditional heavy manufacturing center (less true than you might think), and … [Read more...]
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Principles of Privatization – Part 2: Value Levers
Continuing with my series on privatization of government services, today I look at the question of how privatization creates value. You can also read part one on the types of transactions. While a few people just don't like the government doing things on principle, most of the time privatization - again, undertaken by both Democrats and Republicans - is touted has having benefits to the tax payer. There are three basic ways this can happen: new revenues, reduced cost, or improved service. New Revenue Many governments are attracted to … [Read more...]
Chicago: Reconnecting the Hinterland, Part 1B – High Speed Rail
The first installment in my series on ideas for reconnecting Chicago with its natural expanded region in the Midwest focused on what could be enabled by linking Milwaukee and Indianapolis to Chicago via high speed rail. This makes it a good time to talk about Midwest high speed rail generally. There's been a lot of talk in recent years about the idea of creating a Midwest high speed rail network. The federal government has already designated a system of Midwest rail corridors. There's a lobbying organization pushing it called the Midwest … [Read more...]