Context is good. While every place has its own unique attributes, it's ridiculous to ignore the larger economic and demographic trends that are affecting us along with dozens of other rust belt cities.
And so, the Brookings Institution's Restoring Prosperity report, released this week, should be considered essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of Capital Region cities. I know conversation has begun on it already, but I wanted to wait to post until I'd had a chance to read the whole thing (call me old-fashioned. Man, I hate reading reports in pdf, even if it does save trees. But I did it).
The report is focused especially on the state role in leveling the playing field for "older industrial cities," though it has some pointed words for local administrations as well. (It's hard to come up with a moniker for an artificial grouping you've chosen to study that's not goofy, but I'm at least glad they gave up on their working term of "weak-market." It's accurate, but so, well, weak. And wonkish.)
Anyhow, the report spends a good amount of time detailing all the trends that make this a good time to be focusing on city revitalization. That part is refreshing to read, especially for those of us in a region that seems to have a startling optimism deficit compared to our actual assets. For just one example, the people who have begun moving back into cities since the '90s are much more educated than the population as a whole. And "density is a primary purpose of cities, and [in the new knowledge economy] clusterings of talented people are a prime driver of economic growth."
(Note: I know that education and talent are not a one-to-one correlation. Neither is wealth: there are apparently, a lot of billionaires with no degree at all. However, for the rest of us peons, the "good" employers tend to be looking for a workforce with some schoolin'.)
Anyhow, Brookings proposes an agenda and makes some concrete suggestions. I recommend reading it yourself, but there are a couple of money quotes in there that the Capital Region might want to think long and hard about:
"Local leaders must make the competent, clean, transparent, and effective administration of government operations and services their highest priority. In short, this means enhancing the way in which city officials and departments interface with residents and businesses, improving how the day to
day 'behind the scenes' work of government gets carried out, measuring city performance over time, and
ensuring accountability when expectations aren’t met." (Note: even the advent of Sematech will not exempt us from needing an accountable, efficient government. If anything, it will be more important.)
"State-imposed tax systems are often not universally appropriate for all localities, however, many of which might benefit from more flexibility in their revenue raising options, and/or from a greater ability to share revenues with wealthier communities who may use city services and facilities without paying the costs." (Italics mine. Nice to see your own analysis supported, even in passing.)
"Too often, cities’ economic development policies are more about chasing after the latest fads than strategically developing and implementing plans that capitalize on their unique assets, link to their larger metropolitan economy, and have the potential to widely benefit local residents. The proliferation of stadium and convention center building over the past 15 years illustrates this trend. Even with hard evidence that such projects rarely pay the expected dividends, city leaders continue to pursue them."
"Older industrial cities cannot get ahead without working to alleviate poverty and increase the opportunities and wealth of their existing residents—without, in other words, growing the middle class from within."
The report does get down to at least some brass tacks—I think their tentative fiscal policy ideas for Newark, NJ, are fascinating, especially letting them opt out of the (failing yet constantly renewed) urban enterprise zone program, but keep the different in increase sales taxes.
In terms of working on comprehensive planning for Albany, the third and fifth points of their five-point agenda (I've copied the short version below)—"transform the physical landscape" and "create neighborhoods of choice"—are obviously quite relevant.
Once Albany has its vision for itself, it will need to call on the state as a partner to clear away barriers to implementation, and Restoring Prosperity will be a good piece of that conversation.
Restoring Prosperity's five-point agenda:
•Fix the Basics. First and foremost, states need to ensure that older industrial cities are safe, fiscally healthy communities where children are provided the same opportunities as their suburban counterparts. This means implementing policies and programs that help lower prison recidivism rates and reduce crime; improve neighborhood schools and the instruction that takes place within them; and create a competitive cost climate for families and businesses.
• Build on Economic Strengths. Second, states need to do their part to help older industrial cities understand and cultivate their unique economic attributes so as to foster a “high road” economy. To this end, states should help cities reinvigorate their downtowns; invest in industries—eds and meds, culture and entertainment, advanced manufacturing, small businesses, and others—that play to cities’ and metropolitan areas’ strengths; and support expanded transit links and crossregional cooperation to enhance the economic connectivity between metropolitan areas.
•Transform the Physical Landscape. Third, states need to recognize and leverage the physical assets of cities that are uniquely aligned with the preferences of the changing economy, and then target their investments and amend outmoded policies so as to help spur urban redevelopment. States should focus their resources on upgrading crumbling infrastructure in cities and older areas; provide support for major projects—such as waterfront redevelopment or improving large public parks—that have the potential to catalyze reinvestment in the core; and implement laws and policies that encourage, rather than inhibit, the management and marketability of vacant and underutilized urban properties.
• Grow the Middle Class. Fourth, states need to improve the economic condition of low-income older industrial city residents. This requires that states invest in state-of-the-art vocational training systems that give residents the skills they need to compete; give low-wage workers ready access to the work benefits they deserve to make work pay; and help low-income families to build wealth and assets through programs and legislation that reduce the costs of being poor.
• Create Neighborhoods of Choice. Finally, states need to ensure that cities have strong, healthy neighborhoods that are attractive to families with a range of incomes. This requires that state housing subsidies be flexible enough to be used to build a mix of unit types at varying prices throughout metropolitan areas; that they appropriate resources to help localities leverage the market potential of under-served urban neighborhoods; and that they enact historic preservation, building code reform, and other programs that help maintain and stabilize homes and communities.
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