Leading the way in Laverne

Since the demise of redevelopment agencies a few years ago, California cities and counties have been struggling to find ways to finance important projects like housing, road improvements and public transportation. Now there’s a new tool in the toolbox, and small Laverne in eastern Los Angeles County is the first to try it out. It’s called an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District, or EIDF. That may sound dull but Zocalo Public Square commentator Joe Mathews says EIDFs may prove crucial to the state’s future.