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Recent Research and Commentary

Developments in Local Government Privatization

Annual Privatization Report 2013 examines local government privatization trends
May 6, 2013

Harris Kenny, Adam Summers, Steven Titch

This section of Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report 2013 provides an overview of the latest on privatization and public-private partnerships in local government. Topics include:

A. Mayor Emanuel Establishes Chicago Infrastructure Trust

B. Public-Private Partnerships for Parking Assets

C. Yonkers, New York Pursuing Innovative School Partnership Approach

D. City of Austin Releases Surprising Outsourcing Study

E. Georgia Contract Cities Continue to Evolve

F. Finding New Ways to Provide Parks and Recreation Amenities

G. Water and Wastewater Privatization Update

H. Solid Waste Collection Update

I. Non-Profit Partnerships for Animal Shelters Grow

J. ANALYSIS: Is Managed Competition Dead in San Diego?

K. ANALYSIS: San Diego, San Jose Lead the Way in Local Pension Reform

L. ANALYSIS: Despite Glossy Reports, Muni Broadband is Still a Net Money Loser

M. Local Government Privatization News and Notes

» Return to Annual Privatization Report 2013 homepage

Living in Operatic Times

On Estonia, it looks like the Krugmanloons were wrong and President Ilves was right
April 25, 2013

Julian Morris

The operatic scale of the financial crisis that has engulfed the world since 2007 has finally been recognised. April 7 sees the premiere, in Talinn, of Nostra Culpa, a 16 minute opera inspired by a “Twitter feud” in which Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves denounced New York Times pontificator Paul Krugman for asserting that Estonia’s response to the crisis had not been a success.

Federal Privatization Update

Annual Privatization Report examines privatization and public-private partnership trends at the federal level
April 15, 2013

Adam Summers, Anthony Randazzo, Steven Titch, Victor Nava

The federal section of Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report 2013 provides an overview of the latest on federal government privatization and public-private partnerships. Topics include:

A. BCFC Outlines $795 Billion in Federal Budget Savings

B. Congress Takes on Postal Service Reform—Again

C. Space Privatization Update

D. ANALYSIS: Google, Facebook, Antitrust and the “Public Good”

E. ANALYSIS: Private Sector is Best-Positioned to Lead Cybersecurity Policy

F. ANALYSIS: Privatization of Financial Regulation is Not Impossible

» Return to Annual Privatization Report 2013 homepage

ANALYSIS: Privatization of Financial Regulation is Not Impossible

Subsection of Annual Privatization Report 2013: Federal Government Privatization
April 15, 2013

Anthony Randazzo, Victor Nava

This subsection of Reason Foundation's Annual Privatization Report 2013: Federal Government Privatization details miscellaneous news and notes from the privatization of federal government services.

How Obama’s Plan to Encourage Homeownership Will Hurt the Poor the Most

April 3, 2013, 5:33pm

Cathy Reisenwitz

The Obama administration is concerned that even in the midst of the housing market’s recovery, many young people and people with bad credit can’t borrow money to buy homes. Yes, this sounds eerily similar to the policies that helped create the housing bubble in the first place. And yes, while ensuring that homes loans are available to all borrowers is a well-intentioned plan to help low-income families, it will likely hurt them.

Economy Declined as Government Spending Rose

February 28, 2013, 11:17am

James D. Agresti

In the wake of stunning news that the U.S. economy shrunk by 0.1% in the last quarter of 2012, prominent media outlets and commentators are reporting that lower government spending is the cause of the decline. In reality, however, government spending rose by 0.8%, and the claim that it fell stems from a federal report that defines "government spending" so narrowly that it excludes 47% of all government spending.

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