Laserfiche WebLink
Introduction <br /> • Community and government leaders across the nation have come to realize <br /> their actions can change, alter, and direct the condition of their local <br /> economy. The economic quality of life of the residents and the success of <br /> businesses many times are directly influenced by the policies and leadership <br /> Deleted:have the influence and <br /> of those who create a climate conducive to economic growth,_A strong power to <br /> economy.provid.es benefits_to,all.who experien_ce..It while a weak ec..onom.y Deleted: <br /> putsbusinesses residents at risk to._the economiceffects._of external <br /> Deleted:Those who chose to <br /> forces. change is bound to happen. The choice to be made is whether the shape their future;can. Those <br /> who chose to avoid their future <br /> change will be shaped by the community or by forces beyond its control. often find it shaped by forces <br /> outside of their control. <br /> Economic development strategies are developed by communities who chose _ <br /> Deleted:. A strong economy <br /> to shape their own future. provides benefits to all who <br /> experience it while a weak <br /> economy puts businesses and <br /> residents at risk to the economic <br /> In areas with strong economies, local governments do not struggle to fund effects of external forces <br /> essential services and are usually able to provide expanded programs <br /> benefiting all that reside in the area. In such areas, schools are strong, <br /> streets safe and clean, park and recreation programs abundant, and the need <br /> to provide social welfare programs for impoverished citizens is reduced. <br /> Citizens living in an area with a strong economy enjoy consistent <br /> employment, regular wage gains, opportunities for personal advancement, <br /> and are able to reliably save for and invest in their future. Businesses are <br /> able to plan for consistent expansion, hire full-time employees for the long <br /> term, and are willing to risk significant capital, investing in their operations. <br /> Communities grow closer, tight-knit; as young men and women, after <br /> completing high school or college, remain in the area as growing employment <br /> opportunities in their"hometown" capture their interest. <br /> In areas with weak or declining economies, the opposite occurs. Local <br /> governments struggle to fund essential programs, with budgets under <br /> growing pressure to assist the impoverished. Residents have uncertain <br /> futures, filled with personal anxieties, with limited employment opportunities, <br /> stuck in subsistence level jobs. Businesses employ part-time workers and are <br /> Strategic Plan for Economic Development Page 3 of 21 <br /> • <br />