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Around the world, there is a broad understanding of the role that strategic investments in transportation play in advancing metropolitan and national economies. In the current context, investments in roads and transit are more important than ever. We need new approaches to how these projects are conceived, funded, and delivered while, at the same time, reinvesting in existing infrastructure.
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Presentation delivered by IMFG Director Enid Slack on February 9, 2012.
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This presentation focuses on the role that parks and libraries play as contributors to broader urban policy objectives. How do libraries and parks affect and leverage the quality of life, sustainability, and economic growth in the city? In a period of fiscal austerity, what are the appropriate roles for the public sector, the private sector and the scope for partnerships in both the funding and management of these spaces?
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This presentation focuses on the role that parks and libraries play as contributors to broader urban policy objectives. How do libraries and parks affect and leverage the quality of life, sustainability, and economic growth in the city? In a period of fiscal austerity, what are the appropriate roles for the public sector, the private sector and the scope for partnerships in both the funding and management of these spaces?
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This book examines the broad reform of the Ontario property tax in 1998. The objectives of this reform included introducing a full market value assessment, establishing a property tax system that would be widely accepted, and removing property tax reform from the provincial political agenda. Although the reform effort was lauded by experts at the time, its overall objectives were not achieved. In fact, the new assessment system may have ultimately weakened the role of the local property tax. Good property tax design needs to recognize the important differences between taxing housing and taxing business property.
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Monica Pinhanez discusses the current tax system in Brazil, including the tax structure and regulations of federal, subnational states, and local governments. She also examines the municipal tax system and revenue collection, analyzing the role and duties of local government in the current Brazilian federal system, and the reforms that are taking place at the local level.
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Since municipal sector spending represents almost 14% of Hungarian GDP, imbalances in municipal finance have a measurable effect at the macroeconomic level. The current government is setting new rules on local borrowing. With the rare two-thirds majority in parliament, it has the chance to introduce long awaited reforms, although they are likely to be met by intense opposition at the local level.
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This presentation contrasts the institutions, law, and practices of planning in Ontario with other jurisdictions in Canada and the US. It concludes that the public's frustration with the OMB masks larger issues present in Ontario's planning regime, issues that the removal of the OMB will not address.
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