In the United States, large and small cities are considering free bus fares to fight inequality and lower carbon emissions. This year, Kansas City, Missouri and Olympia, Washington are piloting free bus fare programs, while other large cities like Boston, Massachusetts are debating its merits. The President of Boston's City Council argues that free bus fare will have a positive effect on Boston's poor and often marginalized populations; "Think about who is using our buses. It's black people, folks who live in communities where there are deep, deep concentrations of poverty." But opposition, largely centered on concerns of financing the project, remains strong . Although proponents argue a small increase in gas tax could cover the gap in bus revenue, others assert this amount will not be nearly enough to pay drivers, mechanics, and sustain bus services.

After six years of important journalism and analysis focused on urban issues, Guardian Cities is shutting down. The Guardian has brought analysis on prominent urban issues to the forefront, especially over the past year. It has highlighted the  rise of megacities , brought a human face to the homelessness crisis particularly in London, and received accolades for investigation of the destructive impact of concrete worldwide. In its final series of articles, the journal presents the case for radical solutions to urban problems. As people continue to migrate to cities in large numbers, the Guardian closure is a loss to actors in the urban space. The outlet explains: "We have tried to shape how the world understands urbanization: namely, as one of the truly transformative global phenomena of the 21st century."  This statement is core to IHC Global's mission as well. We greatly regret the loss of this invaluable resource.  In this time of diminishing resources for journalism, IHC Global will continue its work  to provide urban news to our network of subscribers from around the world each week.