Citiwire.net

Welcome to Citiwire.net! As major chunks of the stimulus bill’s billions float out to states and localities, will the money end up in thoughtless off-the-shelf projects? Or could we be pleasantly surprised–to find that some of our smarter states, and especially the growing array of metro regions with strong public-private sector leadership cadres, will work hard to put the funds to effective use? Our Citistates Associate Mark Muro, the Brookings Institution’s point man on the metros, raises that possibility in his column. My article picks up the drug issue that will be increasingly tough for the Obama administration to overlook, especially in the wake of a precedent-shattering push just delivered by respected former Latin American presidents.