Growth is good. More is better. Economic development is what we need. More people to work and pay taxes. Does this sound familiar? Does this sound convincing?
Let's ask the question, "Is Economic Development Working?" According to the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, the answer is, basically, "No."
Historically, the goal of most local economic development programs has been to bring in more, says Jessie Grogan, director of reduced poverty and spatial inequality at the Lincoln Institute. “More jobs, more investment, more businesses—there’s a perception that you need to grow, you need more stuff, and that’s what economic development success looks like,” Grogan says. But as part of a research project supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Grogan and Kwon are asking community leaders to challenge those long-held assumptions.In her working paper, Kwon introduces a new three-part framework for thinking about economic development—one that targets resident health, equity, and wellbeing as the explicit goals of such investments, rather than just growth.
I would like to recommend to those reading this blog posting that they track down (and read) the "Rethinking Local Approaches To Growth" article from the Spring/Summer 2024 edition of Land Lines, a magazine regularly published by the Lincoln Institute. Having done so, residents of the City of Santa Cruz might then want to evaluate the efforts being made by the City of Santa Cruz Economic Development Office.
Growth is good? More is better? Economic development is what we need?
Really? Maybe not!
My advice? Get together. Get organized. Explore the alternatives! In my blog posting last Thursday, saluting Bruce Bratton, I talked about how concerned community members were able to change the trajectory of our local community by doing just that - getting together, and getting organized.
That formula still works, and it's time to do that again in Santa Cruz, California!
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