Topic: Municipality

The NIA would operate through two arms: the National Infrastructure Bank (NIB) and "Nikimak" (NCMC), a capital management corporation. These entities would purchase municipal bonds and repackage them into new financial instruments, similar to the securitization seen in the 2008 housing crisis. Researcher Alison McDowell warns that this system will lead to "social impact bonds" where human behaviors and social outcomes are traded as debt.

The Portland City Council votes to tax companies whose CEOs earn more than 100 times the median worker's pay. The hosts discuss this in the context of municipal insolvency, listing Portland alongside Flint and Detroit as cities facing severe financial crises and unfunded pension liabilities.

The Strong Cities Network (SCN), funded by the U.S. State Department, aims to connect local authorities in cities like Denver, Atlanta, and London to share practices for preventing violent extremism. The network facilitates workshops and training seminars to strengthen community cohesion and security. The hosts characterize the initiative as a "money grab" and a potential tool for managing political dissent at the municipal level.

President Obama visited Cedar Falls, Iowa, to promote faster broadband and municipal internet as a competitive advantage for U.S. cities. He compared U.S. speeds unfavorably to cities like Seoul and Tokyo, using an iPad to show a bar graph of download speeds. The hosts criticize the initiative as a push for government-regulated internet and note that Austin, Texas, which has very fast speeds, was omitted from the president's comparison.

The Santa Clara City Council approved strict new laws for the new 49ers stadium, forbidding tailgating activities like throwing footballs or using kegs. The municipal code also bans "special reptiles," musical instruments (including kazoos), and "spilling" food or beer. The hosts mock the "no spilling" rule as an absurd level of behavior control.

Former FCC Commissioner Michael Copps discusses the negative impacts of telecommunications deregulation and the role of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in blocking municipal broadband projects. The analysis highlights how state laws are used to prevent local communities from building their own high-speed internet infrastructure.

A discussion of the Google self-driving car's 700,000-mile record without a traffic violation leads to a theory about the future of law enforcement. The hosts argue that autonomous vehicles could cripple municipal budgets that rely heavily on revenue from traffic tickets. They suggest that cities may resist the adoption of driverless technology to protect these financial interests.

Stockton, California, has filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection after failed negotiations with creditors. The move is described as a "shot across the bow" for banks, as the city seeks to reorganize its debts rather than succumb to high interest payments, potentially setting a precedent for other struggling California municipalities.

Bonaire is scheduled to become a full municipality of the Netherlands on October 10, 2010 (10/10/10). Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has publicly claimed this change brings NATO-affiliated military presence too close to his borders. The transition will also see the local currency shift from the Guilder to the US Dollar.

New York City officials proposed Resolution 0224, which calls for an official boycott of the State of Arizona in response to its immigration policies. The resolution aims to bar municipal travel to the state and stop the acceptance of Arizona municipal bonds. The hosts argue that such boycotts may violate interstate commerce laws and represent an "un-American" attempt by one state to interfere with the business of another.

A fatal boat crash near the Statue of Liberty involving alcohol leads to a discussion on the expansion of DUI enforcement, including ignition interlock devices. The hosts argue that aggressive DUI laws have become a revenue-generating scam for cash-strapped municipalities, sometimes resulting in "thought crime" arrests where individuals are charged despite not driving.

Cash-strapped cities like Oakland and San Francisco are accused of "gouging" citizens through aggressive parking enforcement to balance their budgets. In Oakland, drivers are being hit with $250 tickets for stopping briefly at unmarked bus stops. The city has also extended parking meter hours to 8:00 PM and increased rates to generate millions in additional revenue.

Moody's has placed a negative outlook on all U.S. municipal bonds, signaling a broad economic downgrade. The hosts discuss George Soros's history, including his childhood in Hungary and his influence through the Open Society Institute. They compare Soros's currency speculation to Bill Gates's past decision to move assets out of the U.S. dollar.

The hosts discuss the shift of labor from municipal waste services to individual households, who are now required to sort and clean recyclables. They explore the idea of neighborhoods forming cooperatives to sell their own recyclables rather than giving them to the city. The conversation also covers the ban on burning cardboard and other materials in London.

New York Governor David Paterson is considering leasing or selling state assets—including the Tappan Zee Bridge, the state lottery, and public parks—to address a massive budget deficit. The municipal bond market has reportedly collapsed, leading to radical privatization proposals. The hosts jokingly suggest selling the entire state to Dubai investors to create a "Middle East crisis" reality show in New York.

San Francisco's parking system has been turned over to a private company, resulting in increased rates and a lack of public redress. Critics argue that parking meters have shifted from being tools for traffic management to aggressive profit centers for the city and its contractors.