"Arizona's decision to sell off its state capitol to a private real estate company was perhaps the greatest drunken eBay transaction of all time, except in this case there was no booze involved, and the whole arrangement was justified on the grounds of austerity and small government. "

2009/2010: Arizona sells off its state capitol to a private real estate company. AZ receives $81 million for the state House, the Senate and [a] nine-story executive tower.


2012: Arizona is preparing to spend $105 million to get those same buildings back. BUT, the Governor’s press aide assures, “that $24 million difference should not be seen as an exorbitant interest rate for just two years of borrowing. Instead, it actually is a savings: If the state had taken the full 20 years to pay off the debt, the cost would be far more.” Or, you know, the state could have never taken on a 20 year lease to begin with…