Working Papers: Economic Development
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Members of the Department of City and Regional Planning Concentration in "Economic Development: Communities and Regions" are engaged in research directed at both policy and scholarly audiences. The goal of this working paper series is to present faculty and student work in progress .
The Working Paper Series is organized by a committee composed of CRP faculty and Ph.D. students. Papers submitted for inclusion in the series are reviewed by two members of the committee (or appropriate outside reviewers) for content, quality, and relevance to the concentration.
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Item What Local Officials Need to Know About Wind Power in Their CommunitiesMcCarthy, Kate; VanderMaas, Eric (2010-01-22)If the topic of industrial wind development was on the table in your community, where would you begin the discussion? In this working paper, we will provide information to help local officials understand the complicated issue of industrial wind farms. First, we'll describe the basics of wind development and the actors involved. Then, we'll suggest how three actions - planning ahead with residents about their questions and concerns, developing zoning and wind ordinances, and working with a neutral third party who can help with negotiations and regulations - can enable local officials to manage the process of deciding whether wind development is a good option for their communities.Item Losing Out on Industrial Policy: The Chicago CaseClavel, Pierre; O'Neill-Kohl, Sara (2010-01-09)While other nations were finding ways to intervene productively in their economic machinery in the post-war period, the United States moved from the pragmatic approach of the New Deal period, to avoidance of real economic policy intervention. With the crisis resulting from the losses in the financial sectors in 2008, this ideological umbrella was shorn away. What remained was the difficult task of reconstructing not just the willingness to intervene in various industrial sectors, but the capacity. In this paper, we first examine the wave of manufacturing plant shutdowns in Chicago in the 1980s. We then present two parallel stories about how social movements generated new institutions in the immediate response to plant shutdowns, and in city efforts to counter job loss with what turned out to be a successful rear guard action in the mid-1990s. Finally, we attempt a synthesis, to see what guidance there is in this story for present day attempts to maintain the nation’s manufacturing base.Item In-Sourcing the Production of America’s Energy TechnologyUfberg, Marc (2009-12-27)$22 billion in stimulus money has been provided to promote renewable energy projects and re-train workers but amidst the frenzy, something has been missing in the public discussion. While the media has championed the use and installation of renewable energy technologies, little has been said about where those technologies are being manufactured. Not much attention is paid to the source of renewable energy equipment. One example is solar power. Perhaps not surprisingly, most solar panels are manufactured abroad; virtually none are manufactured in New York State. This presentation looks at whether this should be a cause for concern, what policymakers can do about it, and how to determine when offering incentives to renewable energy manufacturing companies is a good idea.Item How Local Policies Can Support the Development of Green JobsAna Cajina, Kate Hess Pace; Anika Patterson, C.J. Randall (2009-12-28)Green jobs and the green economy have received considerable attention from state and national policymakers, particularly in the energy efficiency sector. Local leaders can capitalize on the momentum and facilitate the growth of green jobs in industries ranging from construction to manufacturing to high-tech. By focusing initially on weatherization and retrofitting projects, communities will create jobs, increase energy efficiency, and save taxpayers' money. To maximize the benefits of this growing industry, policy makers will need to address financing options, job training, changes in local policy, programs to support green entrepreneurs, and local manufacturing of energy efficiency products.Item Grass Biomass: A Biofuel Strategy Right for Upstate New YorkKoenig, Chris; Wellemeyer, Jonathan (2009-12-24T22:51:38Z)Given the steady increase in gas utility rates, it’s becoming more and more desirable for homeowners to seek out energy alternatives for home heating in upstate New York. In this brief we discuss why large-scale liquid biofuel production—such as ethanol—is an inappropriate alternative solution for Upstate’s home heating energy needs and how locally grown and produced grass pellets burned in the home can fill that gap. After briefly introducing the technology involved, we outline the potential benefits as well as the obstacles of producing and consuming grass pellets for home heating upstate.Item Developing a Vibrant Local Food Economy in New York CommunitiesKroeger, Ruth; Zeltser, Yelena (2009-12-24T22:40:15Z)A well connected local food system creates new jobs in the agricultural and processing sectors, increases tax revenue and contributes to vibrant local economies in New York State. The lack of appropriately scaled local processing and distribution infrastructure, however, creates challenges for small and medium-scale producers. Local governments have an important role to play in bringing together actors from across the food sector to develop innovative solutions to this problem. Through a series of case studies, we show how local governments can build a strong local food economy by promoting local and regional products, coordinating existing resources and assisting with development of business infrastructure for local producers.Item How Local Policies Can Support the Development of Green JobsCajina, Ana; Hess Pace, Kate; Patterson, Anika; Randall, C.J. (2009-12-24T22:32:12Z)Green jobs and the green economy have received considerable attention from state and national policymakers, particularly in the energy efficiency sector. Local leaders can capitalize on the momentum and facilitate the growth of green jobs in industries ranging from construction to manufacturing to high-tech. By focusing initially on weatherization and retrofitting projects, communities will create jobs, increase energy efficiency, and save taxpayers' money. To maximize the benefits of this growing industry, policy makers will need to address financing options, job training, changes in local policy, programs to support green entrepreneurs, and local manufacturing of energy efficiency products.Item Economic Policy Makers Beware: Estimating the Job Impact of Public Investment in Biofuel PlantsChristopherson, Susan; Sivertsen, Zachary (2009-12-12)Despite all the hoopla about the green economy and clean tech, skeptics are beginning to ask questions about the projections of job creation from investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Since these projections are used to support public investment in “clean tech” firms via tax incentives, economic developers at the state and local level need to know how to assess them. In this policy brief, we examine 16 studies of the economic impact of ethanol plants. First, we discuss what the studies have to say about the economic impact of ethanol plants – why are these plants expected to create jobs and in what ways? We then look at the methods used to estimate the job creation impact of ethanol bio-fuel plants and at the assumptions underlying estimation models. Finally we present a list of questions that public officials and economic developers need to ask in assessing claims for ethanol plant job creation and its utility as a public investment.