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Prison Cities, Pirates, and Booming Small Towns
Weekend Reads: April 12, 2019
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Dockless Scooters from Parking Lots Could Change All Economics of Parking
Brad Templeton | Forbes | Tweeted by Jennifer Huddleston
Parking in crowded cities is often more expensive at certain times of day, but that model could change if parking lots partner with scooter companies for a cheaper alternative.
How China Turned a City into a Prison
Chris Buckley, Paul Mozur, and Austin Ramzy | The New York Times | Retweeted by Alex Tabarrok
In Kashgar, an ancient town in Northwest China, hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and other Muslims live under constant surveillance, interrogation, and the threat of indoctrination camps.
Blue-Sky Thinking Could Be the Answer to London’s Housing Crisis
Matthew Lesh | CapX | Tweeted by Brent Skorup
London is facing a housing shortage, but it could alleviate some of the effects by the creation of a market in air rights. Much like the process in New York, property owners could sell the rights to the air above their property, up to the legal limit, to other developers.
A History of Civil Asset Forfeiture in America: Pirates, Mob Bosses, and the War on Drugs
Brittany Hunter | Foundation for Economic Education | Shared by Donald Boudreaux
From colonial America to the mobster era of the 20th century, civil asset forfeiture has been a hotbed for government corruption. Thanks to recent reforms, this practice could be nearing its end.
Hidden Costs in the ‘Fight for $15’
The Editorial Board | The Wall Street Journal | Tweeted by Veronique de Rugy
When speaking about raising the minimum wage, advocates fail to mention the higher unemployment rates, reduction in working hours, and increased crime rates among teens.
Small Towns Are Dying Everywhere but Here
David J. Lynch| The Washington Post | Shared by Tyler Cowen
Owing to its recreation opportunities, proximity to the state’s second-largest city, and a dependable base of federal government employment, Hamilton, Montana shows how small towns are thriving in the West.
Trump’s Trade War Is Hurting Farmers, But They Still Think He Can Win It
Shawn Donnan and Shruti Singh | Bloomberg Businessweek | Retweeted by Christine McDaniel
Farmers across America are being hit hard by the Trump administration’s tariffs, but they still think the ends will justify the means.
'Music City' Doesn't Want You Making Music at Home
Christian Britschgi | Reason | Retweeted by Adam Thierer
In a city known for its rich musical history, zoning laws could potentially outlaw recording studios in homes.
Congress Is About to Ban the Government from Offering Free Online Tax Filing. Thank TurboTax.
Justin Elliott | ProPublica | Retweeted by Salim Furth
After massive lobbying efforts from tax companies like H&R Block and Intuit, a bill in Congress could ban the IRS from developing a free tax filing service.