Latest / The Fiscal Policy Podcast with Fexingo: Government Budgets, Stimulus, and Public Spending
Why the Government Spends Billions on Idle Land
The federal government is the largest landowner in America, holding nearly 640 million acres. But a 2025 Government Accountability Office report found that over 80,000 parcels are classified as 'excess' or 'underutilized' — meaning no agency needs them, yet they sit idle for years while the government pays maintenance, security, and environmental cleanup costs. In this episode, Lucas and Luna drill into one specific case: the 3,400-acre former Army depot in Alabama that has cost taxpayers $47 million in upkeep since 2010 with no buyer in sight. They examine why the…
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