Through reliance on tax revenue and tax increment financing (TIF) projects, small cities must attract developers to sustain themselves, according to this op-ed.
"St. Louis suburbanites must love local government; they've created so much of it. With 91 municipalities in St. Louis County alone, you can hardly walk to the mailbox without bumping into an alderman.
But the close-to-home benefits of tiny communities come with big problems. A town of 5,000 enjoys no economies of scale in running a police force, managing road crews or maintaining parks. And shifts in the regional economy can strip towns of sales tax revenue as businesses close and shoppers flock to a glitzy new mall one town over. Hazelwood, Rock Hill, Jennings and Maplewood have felt such woes in recent years."
"Towns prostrate themselves at the feet of developers, offering property tax breaks to lure retail enclaves that will swipe sales tax revenue from all the towns around it."
FULL STORY: Sense in suburbia
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Has President Trump Met His Match?
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Study: London ULEZ Rapidly Cleaning up Air Pollution
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San Jose Mayor Takes Dual Approach to Unsheltered Homeless Population
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Atlanta Changes Beltline Rail Plan
City officials say they are committed to building rail connections, but are nixing a prior plan to extend the streetcar network.
Are Black Mayors Being Pushed Out of Office?
The mayors of New York, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh all stand to lose their seats in the coming weeks. They also all happen to be Black.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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