‘Smart growth’: My suspicions were correct: Doug Foy’s appointment by Mitt signals an anti-sprawl (i.e. ‘smart growth’) policy within the new administration. Being a big rail-transit fan, Hub Blog is excited, though one distantly fears a ‘smart growth’ campaign falling into the hands of anti-growth proponents down the road. ... Some other appointments by Mitt, including the naming of Daniel Grabauskas as transportation czar. As noted before, Hub Blog, as would many others, would support a tax increase (on gasoline?) if it’s specifically pegged to repairing bridges, expanding public transportation and paying down the huge capital debts of various public works/transportation agencies. Those debts are choking off prospects for new projects. Needless to say, said agencies need to be reformed/streamlined first. They need it.

Update: Interesting article in the Times on Michael Bloomberg’s first year as mayor there. Though I’m far away from the NY action, I haven’t been impressed by his performance. But others have -- and there’s a parallel to Mitt, perhaps, as Romney tries to reshape state government here. Good lead on the NYT story. And here’s a good quote: "People who spend a lot of time in the public sector can, over time, convince themselves that fundamental changes can't happen," said Bill de Blasio, a councilman from Brooklyn. "I think it is a virtue that he (Bloomberg) can look at things as a clean slate."
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