Ed Rendell logged nearly 50,000 miles on a bus emblazoned with his image while campaigning for governor of Pennsylvania in 2002 ["The Gubernatorial Baby Boom," January 2003]. Once in office, he planned to use bus trips to make himself more accessible. Now dubbed "Commonwealth One," the latest bus was unveiled to much fanfare last May.

A new financing tool is helping public housing authorities raise money to fix up their properties. They can now issue revenue bonds that promise to repay today's loan with tomorrow's federal dollars.

As states and localities continue to struggle with budget problems, they are increasingly turning to a time-honored source for more dollars: out-of-towners. Tourism taxes are going up all over, with states taking their share from a traditionally local revenue stream.

A Wal-Mart grocery invasion could be very bad news for cities and the tax revenue they get from local supermarkets.