As communities across the country struggle to make ends meet, leasing public assets to private investors is an increasingly attractive way to generate much needed cash. "Need to Know" correspondent Rick Karr travels to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a town on the brink of bankruptcy that's considering leasing its parking infrastructure, and Chicago, Illinois, a city that decided in 2008 to plug its budget gaps by leasing its parking meters to investors for 75 years.

"Need to Know" is an integrated broadcast and online current affairs project, uniting broadcast and web in an innovative approach to newsgathering and reporting. It breaks through the limitations of the broadcast schedule by means of a web-based production model that empowers audiences to "tune in" anytime and anywhere. A cross-media initiative built around a wide community of journalists and producers, with input from an engaged audience.

This episode will air at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, September 16.

Watch past episodes of "Need to Know" here.