MuniLand

The American Society of Landscape Artists posts this video called “The Edible City”:

While growing food breaks the law in many U.S. cities, innovators like New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and smaller cities like Madison, Wisconsin, are now changing regulations to accommodate the growing numbers of urban farmers.

Good Links

Reuters: House Republicans target social cuts to shield military

Bloomberg: State governments add 1,000 jobs as U.S. local governments cut 12,000

NYT: Off the charts: shrinking government

The Republic: Arizona moves toward “at will” employment for its state workforce

NPR.org: Midwestern states focus on cutting taxes

NYT: Tighter rules are issued on municipal bond deals

Bloomberg: Puerto Rico is no paradise for UBS customers

Sun-Times: Chicago fighting with parking meter privatization company over $27 million in fees

Bloomberg: Local New Jersey governments have massively increased their debt guarantees

Columbus Dispatch: Another school district pays to terminate interest rate swaps

Reuters: Investors in Lehman prepaid natural-gas bonds get 49 cents per $1

@Twitter Talk

Fantastic interactive chart from the Minnesota Fed comparing recessions, recoveries, their length and depth since 1948bit.ly/JwI8AH

— econgirl (@raluca3000) May 4, 2012

Gov. John Engler: we actually don’t have a tax code. That’s the secret. It’s an amalgamation of expiring provisions. #taxreform #brookings — Jen DePaul (@BondBuyerJen) May 3, 2012

Estimates on CA’s tax on FB are key next week, if the IPO comes & options are exercised in Nov MMA believes could provide up to $7B in revs

— Muni Market Advisors (@Muni_Mkt_Advis) May 4, 2012

State Attorney General reports and opinions for all 50 states now available through Hein Online ow.ly/aGOSe — Emily Keller (@eekeller) May 3, 2012

CTJ blog:More states are figuring out biz tax subsidies are expensive, not particularly effective, ow.ly/aGO9g

— CTJ (@taxjustice) May 4, 2012

Census Bureau Rpt Public Pension Assets Up $257 Billion in State & Local Public-Employee Retirement Systems in 2010 1.usa.gov/KCuZHX — John W Rodat (@johnrodat) May 5, 2012