...while also ensuring that hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars are not diverted to building light rail in outlying areas where population densities are insufficient to support strong ridership.
Why would millions of taxpayer dollars be "diverted" to outlying areas, if the money spent in those areas had to come from those areas in the first place?
Is there some other definition of the word "divert" of which I'm not aware?
In other words, the new editor will either be situated in, or compiling stories written by those situated in, foreign countries where writers are cheap and their output is of a quality to match.