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A New GoaLGeLProsperous ot
<br /> ,RBigger
<br /> A.s c..o.lm...mu-.n.i.t.i..e.s.-..ac-hi.e-ve.l.l.ow....[..ev..e..I.s...of.unemploy.MQnt.in an era of fair.l.y stro_ng
<br /> .........
<br /> e.....c...o.....-n...o-m-I-c gr tt,....QcQ_n_..o_.m�.i...c,d.e.v..-.e.I.-..I.O_De.r,I.sI.,n� eed to think more Quality
<br /> 0
<br /> than-cluantity;.moreaboutgetti ng.prosperous than simply getting,bigger
<br /> (e.a., more lobs and i)eor)le)..-Most.-.economies,-",both_big_ario,small, still see
<br /> gett[Rg-b-!-ggQr-as-,Ib.Q-.jpoi.n-.qoaI of economic development.
<br /> In the last 20 Years, the transitional period between the old and the new
<br /> gConom __!ggtt
<br /> ting_b4' mA-d-esome....sense.because economic grQwth_was slow
<br /> -. . ...................
<br /> and unemp[oyment. i KQw gv
<br /> -h:-gbL- -e r,_evgn_when local and regional economies
<br /> werewere weak,jobgrowth was at besta means to two.possible ends: raising the
<br /> _1 I...........- .....................
<br /> averagestandardof.Jivin.g in_the metropolitan area, or help.i.ng.reduce
<br /> poverty,by employingthpsgat thefringes of the labor.market. The first of
<br /> these two Qoals is now more effectively achieved by focusing income
<br /> -------------------dy_ _e Ising on 1111, 1-11
<br /> growth per.s,.eand not-job growth as a means,, particularly with the
<br /> unemploymentrate at arouncl...._5 percent.. The-second is.now largely a matter
<br /> of structural or social reform, such as jobtraining.,..K-12 improvement, and
<br /> ...................................I -I�___111.11 I..............................I........... .............-.......-
<br /> solyina the problemof spatial isolation in low-income, inner-city
<br /> ncighborh-o-ods.-It_is diffic'u.1t to.....s. ele how programs aimed at undifferentiated,
<br /> igb-growth that are not focused onhigher wages or higher-skill jobs Can
<br /> provide.....m.o.re opportunities for,the poor than already exist,inmost metro
<br /> _e Co 0.o.m-le.5............u.-n- e.S.s_those area-.,.s, are r.e 1.o.s-in.-g lobs or ha e high unemployment.
<br /> . .
<br /> Unfortunat I _in Most places it is hard to__reverse.e the "go.forgrowth"
<br /> .....................................e.Y __ _ ........... s , -...I
<br /> politiCal im.g.g!zmAut...th..a..t.....r..e..m..a.i ns....Q.n autopilot...A powerful growth coalitio n.
<br /> .exi-sts i-n-mlo's-t metro,a,r,ea.,s,.(Q,g.,,,real estate developers, Chambers of
<br /> Commerce-nQw
<br /> 5pape.rs and utilities, and economic,cle elopment
<br /> qptting4igger,_eve1n if the-new jQbs,-pay little
<br /> and_th e r Q with the pains of growth. Forexample,.....economic
<br /> ..............egion....1s.coping, 11 1_ �_ � , I -
<br /> cleveloper.s......i.n. Uart.hern. .Virginia re
<br /> ..........ssi,vely recruit new firms even
<br /> thoughtrafficCongestion,lis-the.worst in the nation, housing prices among the
<br /> highest.and-uDem-pjiay,ment-,ampng-,the lowest.,
<br /> Strategic Plan for Economic Development Page 16 of 21
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