The Build America Bureau is now open for business! Citizens, public officials and taxpayers who have watched this program develop have high hopes for what can result. The bureau falls under supervision of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the objective is to provide as much assistance as possible to government entities with long-overdue […]
Government furnishes most utilities to citizens in the United States – basic necessities which include water, electricity and gas. But, in today’s digital age, there is something else just as necessary to everyday life, and government is scrambling to make it available to all citizens. The expansion of utilities now includes access to the Internet. […]
In somewhat turbulent economic times, it’s interesting to note that spending by public officials at the state levels of government is on the increase for 2016. That reverses a trend that dates back to 2008. Since 2011, state spending, throughout the country, has held steady at about $1.5 trillion per year. However, as the fiscal […]
Public officials at the state and local levels of government have tried for years to get the federally imposed cap on Private Activity Bonds (PABs) increased. In spite of their efforts, there has been no success. Tax-exempt PABs provide low-cost financing for projects that serve a public purpose. However, the current cap of $15 billion […]
You’ve probably seen one – an abandoned and ugly vacant big box store. Usually, there is graffiti covering broken glass doors and a huge, empty parking lot. These buildings have been designated “ghostboxes.” When big box stores and super centers hit hard times, many were simply were shuttered. The result was lots of large empty […]
You don’t have to live in Flint, Michigan, to be the victim of exposure to less-than-safe drinking water. A recent report by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that last year, millions of Americans were served by water systems with multiple lead-related violations. The violations point to the increasing need for upgrades to water […]
In a world of drone package delivery and self-driving cars, it’s clear that all kinds of everyday activities are being impacted by technology. That’s especially true when it comes to transportation. Mobile app-based ridesharing is a trend that has tremendous energy behind it … and, it has created a few road bumps along the way. […]