The American Dream Communicator
News & commentary about urban policy in America’s cities

Save the Date
June 10-12, 2010 – the 8^th Annual Preserving the American Dream Conference, Orlando, Florida

                        >> Talk of the Town – Ron Utt, Heritage Foundation <<

Mobility & Transportation
Who is really in charge of the USDOT? – Michael Ennis, Washington Policy Blog
US DOT has $1.5 billion for livable communities – New Urban News
LaHood announces money for transit projects – Associated Press
Getting Real About Transport Costs – Randal O’Toole, The Antiplanner
Cashless Toll Systems Face Potential Customer Backlash – Sam Staley, Reason
Toyota debuts its plug-in Prius for North America – AutoBlog
And the Green Car of the Year is… a Diesel. Again! – Gas2.org
Vanpool Hawaii signs 300th rideshare group – Honolulu Advertiser
Mobility Fees Underway for New Developments in Hillsborough County – WMNF.org, Florida
Metro ridership still falling below budget projections – Washington Examiner
’10-mile, $1.5 billion rail project appeals for federal funding – Houston Chronicle
Will 3rd time be the charm for central Fla. rail? – Florida AP
Short-term jobs, long-term subsidies ride the rails – Penny Herman, Tallahassee Democrat
Minneapolis-to-Duluth rail price tag climbs to $1 billion – Star-Tribune
CTA: Rides cost $7-$9.90, but agency makes about 98 cents for each – Chicago Tribune
‘High time’ for transit transparency – Whistler Question, British Columbia
MAX Train Vandal Caused $18K In Damage – KPTV.com, Portland
Sound Transit to Reduce Light Rail Noise – Seattle Transit Blog
Man in wheelchair robbed at light rail station – YourHub.com, Denver
Woman who shot man at bus stop won’t be charged – Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Suspected Muni Stabber Charged In Four Separate Attacks – San Francisco Appeal
3 hurt as light-rail train, van collide in Phoenix – Arizona Republic
Metro trains collide injuring three workers – Washington Post
Williston petition seeks vote on roundabout plan – Burlington Free-Press, Vermont
Parking meter plan strikes a nerve – San Francisco Examiner

Housing & Land Use
The Infrastructure Canard – Wendell Cox, New Geography
The World’s Smartest Cities – Joel Kotkin, Forbes.com
Beyond the sprawl – Financial Times
At the corner of hip and red tape – Washington Post
A slow start for New Urbanism – San Antonio Express-News
Housing policies leave cities behind – Boston Globe
Most (and least) affordable cities to buy a house – CNN Money
Very low-income housing hard to find, study shows – SignOn San Diego
Barriers to Affordable Housing – National Center for Policy Analysis
The case against Accessory Dwelling Units – WestchesterParents, California
Experts have beef with Daley on TIF – Chicago Sun-Times
Bill lets cities borrow against anticipated revenue for redevelopment – WyomingNews.com
Property Owners Get Dunked On – Wall Street Journal
New York should learn from New London – New York Daily News
Eminent Domain: Can We Define Blighted? – Next American City

Freedom & Grassroots
The curse of politically engineered research – Hugh Pavletich, Scoop News, New Zealand
Climategate: Be Skeptical Of Envirojournalism – NC Times Blog, California
The demise of evidence – The Pulse, Australia
A Threat To Home Owners Associations – Rick Harrison, New Geography
In neighborhood beefs, they bring the muscle – Washington Post
Where’s the benefit from light rail? – John Riou, AZ Central
Is ‘smart growth’ really all that smart? – Gazette.net, Maryland
Michigan puts activism before safety in drivers training – Teen Driving Blog
Why the continual push to use public funds for sports stadiums? – San Diego News Network

Three Cheers!
Court Deals a Blow to Columbia’s Expansion Plans – New York Times
Getting around matters – Patrick McIlheran, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Can’t do that on a bus! – YouTube Video

High Speed Rail
Washington’s Newest Gravy Train: High-Speed Rail – Center for Public Integrity
Why the rush to spend rail money? – State Journal-Register, Illinois
Opening High-Speed Rail to the Market – Before the Market’s Even There – The Transport Politic
HSR: Feeding Trough Today, Potential Trainwreck Tomorrow – Bnet.com
Police defend decision to clear displaced anti-rail protestors – China Daily
Florida Guv says it would be ‘catastrophic’ if commuter rail isn’t passed – Creative Loafing
State lawmakers open special session on rail – FloridaToday.com
Entering the Superproject Void – New York Times
Foreign Suitors Lining Up for U.S. High-Speed Rail Payday – New York Times
Transit advocates seek $4B for high-speed rail projects – New Jersey Biz
High-speed rail route back in limbo – San Francisco Chronicle

Nothing’s New Urbanism
The Smart Growth Manual – Next American City
Light rail will bring riders downtown. What will they see? – Virginia Pilot
Marion gets a plan, charrette – Meridian Star, Mississippi
Tompkins transit plan envisions denser development, fewer car trips – Ithaca Journal
City unveils new transportation plan – Revelstoke Review Times, British Columbia

Growth Management Globally
Housing affordability slides – Globe & Mail, Canada
Poor face housing obstacles – The Observer, Ontario, Canada
Minister alters view on sprawl – The Age, Australia

Not So Sustainable
Alberta cancels funding for ‘green’ transportation – Canada.com
Corpus Christi Transit predicts $2.5M loss as retail sales slip – Caller.com, Texas
County kills transit routes – Elyria Chronicle-Telegram, Ohio
Sustainability: An Assault on Economics – Mises.org

Across the Tracks
2009 National Award for Smart Growth Achievement – EPA
Planners, not scientists, should advocate climate change policies – Next American City
How to make ethical travel choices – The Guardian, UK
Nation needs to provide $15 billion for public transportation – Progressive Railroading
The Myth of the Childless City – Sightline Daily
Taking >From Motorists & Giving to Pedestrians and Cyclists – St. Louis Urban Workshop
Group aims to cut number of lone commuters – Telegraph-Journal, Canada
Transit shift – Gainesville Sun, Florida
Pursuit of cheap gas clogging traffic – San Francisco Examiner
Wasting away – Ottawa Citizen
Be like bike – Business Mirror, Philippines

Quote of the Year Nominees*

            “Voting against this would be catastrophic, indefensible.” Florida Governor Charlie Crist, on the state legislature’s consideration of a bill to divert
highway money to commuter rail.

            “It’s always too expensive, that’s no reason to stop.” Republican State Representative Ed Hooper, on the same issue of commuter rail.

            “It’s time for government agencies and others to stop dumping these awful uses into the City of El Segundo. We have done our part.” Mayor Kelly McDowell, on his city’s opposition to a proposed light rail maintenance facility.

            “Tenants might be able to find a unit that they can barely afford, given the amount of social assistance they receive, but those units aren’t always up to standard.” Legal worker Karen Mathewson, on the lack of both quality and affordability in Ontario’s housing market.

                * Submit your nominees for Quote of the Year by emailing me at ed@americandreamcoalition.org.  Check for past nominees on our website here.

** Check out Interviews with the Experts for the latest commentary on trends taking place in cities all across America. **