Markets in everything

Wuhan, my hometown in Central China, plans to sell the right to name streets, bridges, public plazas and high-rise buildings to businesses in exchange for money the municipal government desperately needs to make up for a "funding shortage in government operations."

Here is the story, and thanks to Petras Kudaras for the pointer.

Robert Tagorda sends along a story of governments doing the buying rather than the selling:

State leaders have tried for years to get more minority and low-income high school students to take tougher classes. One group Thursday proposed an eye-opening idea: Pay students to take the classes.  The Minnesota Private College Council called on the state to spend $50 million a year to pay eligible high school students who take and pass college-prep classes.

Alex once blogged on Roland Fryer, and paying students to get better grades.