Local Economic Development in the 21st Century - 9780765620941

A comprehensive treatment of quality of life, sustainability, and local economic development, this book links existing academic knowledge to real world problems of policy making. It emphasizes the need for a better understanding of how economic theories and empirical economic research can contribute to the public policy debates in state and local government. These include the sources of economic growth and development; the relationship of both to quality of life and sustainability; the importance of local as well as global action to environmental sustainability; the roles of income inequality, poverty, and economic opportunity in economic development; the importance of land-use planning to quality of life and sustainability, the relationship between economic development and state and local tax and regulatory policies; and the use of strategies that incorporate quality of life and sustainable development into economic development.

"Thoughtful new insights about what is needed to reshape economic development for 21st century priorities and challenges."---Richard Lamm, Professor, University of Denver and former governor of Colorado

"A very readable book for non-economists it makes a compelling case for the natural compatibility of quality of life factors and sustainable economic development. It illustrates not only why traditional business incentives are not cost-effective but also suggests what to do in place of them. In particular, the authors call for entrepreneur-ship and education while emphasizing the tight interconnections among economy, environment, and society. In Littleton, Colorado, we have practiced these same principles for over two decades with our Economic Gardening Program and have had considerable success at economic development without significant population growth. This is the future of economic development."---Chris Gibbons, Director of Business/Industry Affairs, Littleton, Colorado

"This new book raises important issues on the relationship between traditional economic growth on the one hand and the quality of life and sustainable development on the other hand. Though the policy implications are about the best ways of "acting locally," the book has important implications for policy makers and public officials on the national level as well."---Edward Wolff, Professor of Economics, New York University