January 4, 2008

Headlines

1. Highway toll increases are still less costly than privatization.
2. Daley refusing to use Skyway funds for CTA.
3. Federal Transit Administration Encourages Private Funding of Projects.
4. Army set to revisit decision on deal worth up to $150 billion.
5. Hope for NC Mental Patients?

1. Highway toll increases are still less costly than privatization.

The continuing debate over Pennsylvania’s new transportation funding law, Act 44, reminds me of the adage that you do not sacrifice the good in pursuit of the perfect.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/pa/20080103_Highway_toll_increases_are_still_less_costly_than_privatization.html

2. Daley refusing to use Skyway funds for CTA.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says he won’t use the $1.8 billion windfall he generated by privatizing the Chicago Skyway to give a boost to Chicago Transit Authority funding.
http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=7570659&nav=1sW7

3. Federal Transit Administration Encourages Private Funding of Projects.

Increased private sector involvement in financing mass transit projects could help stave off cost overruns, deliver projects on schedule, share the risks associated with the project, and improve the quality of the transit service, the Federal Transit Administration said in a report issued this week.
http://www.bondbuyer.com/todaysheadlines.html (subscription required)

4. Army set to revisit decision on deal worth up to $150 billion.

The Army will revisit its decision to award three $5 billion contracts to KBR Inc., DynCorp International Inc. and Fluor Corp., a federal watchdog agency said Wednesday. In June, the Army chose the three companies to provide food and shelter to U.S. troops in Iraq. The pact has been on hold since July, after two private companies filed separate protests with the Government Accountability Office questioning the award.
http://www.examiner.com/a-1134482%7EArmy_set_to_revisit_decision_on_deal_worth_up_to__150_billion.html
5. Hope for NC Mental Patients?

When Dempsey Benton, the state secretary of health and human services, called the news conference to announce his plan for "fixing" the state’s mental health system, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. What is refreshing is to hear the leader of the system speak plainly about how the privatization of community-based mental health care has stumbled. (Duh. There is no profit to be made off the seriously and persistently mentally ill.)
http://www.newsobserver.com/2750/story/860123.html

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