I was interviewed for this episode of NPR’s Planet Money, which revisits Chicago’s decision to lease its parking meters for 75 years.
At the Chicago Office of Inspector General, I initiated and conducted an evaluation of the deal. The work examined the asset’s valuation, the agreement’s length, and the process used to approve the transaction.
The episode returns to those questions and the consequences of exchanging decades of public revenue for an upfront payment.
For the underlying analysis, read the original Inspector General report.