Wall Street sees wave of U.S. public asset sales (Privatization in the booming 3rd world country, Bush Economy.)

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From New Jersey to California, cash-strapped cities and states are considering sales or leases of highways, airports and other public infrastructure to generate cash and plug budget gaps. At the same time, more than $100 billion in equity capital is looking to invest in for public assets boasting steady returns.
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And while investors have operated highways and airports in Europe and Asia for years, privatization is new to the United States, where Midwestern states are leading the charge.