US & Canada round-up: US healthcare costs expected to climb, and more

14 Aug 15

A round-up of recent public finance stories from the US & Canada you might have missed.

US health-care costs expected to climb

The acceleration in health spending is a change from the past few years, when the recession that ended in 2009, and its aftermath, kept growth about in line with the economy.  (TV Newsroom)

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker approves public funding of basketball arena

Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin approved $250m in public financing for a new arena for the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, a deal exposing him to charges of corporate welfare as he seeks the Republican nomination as a fiscal conservative. (The New York Time)

Harper pledges to probe foreign home ownership in Canada

A re-elected Conservative government would spend half a million dollars next year to figure out just how many foreign investors have eaten up condos and homes across Canada, many of them sitting empty year-round. (CTV News)

Loosen restrictions to boost Detroit’s revival

COMMENT: If politicians really want to help America’s urban poor escape the generational poverty trap, they only need to get out of the way. (Detroit Free Press)

Moody’s: Issuing $1bn in bonds does little to fix Kansas state pension system

Moody’s Investors Service released a report warning that the $1 billion in pension bonds, which Kansas will put on sale this week, will do little to solve the state’s long-term pension challenges. (The Wichita Eagle)

The real reason American public transportation is such a disaster

FEATURE: American buses, subways, and light rail lines consistently have lower ridership levels, fewer service hours, and longer waits between trains than those in virtually every comparably wealthy European and Asian country. At the same time, a much greater percentage of US public transit costs are subsidised by public tax dollars. (Vox)

 

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