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1 1 Introduction Edward W. (Ned) Hill Cleveland State University For many years, members of the faculty and research staff in the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University have paid keen attention to the problems and issues faced by midwestern industrial cities. As part of a university community, we joined with colleagues across campus to think about how to respond to disruptive change in the regional economies of twentieth century industrial cities and regions. There is no one, simple recipe for renewing prosperity in midwestern industrial cities. But virtually all of the partial answers that emerged from our investigations recognize in one way or another that the greatest hopes and assets in these cities reside in the talent and energy of the people who live and work within them. In times of difficulty , individuals and groups discover unsuspected strengths and reveal qualities and capabilities that had not previously been seen. How can the huge reserve of human possibilities within midwestern industrial cities be released? The chapters in this book do not contain a single, complete, and satisfying answer to the question of how to rekindle prosperity in these cities. They contain no silver bullets, but together they may be silver buckshot. They provide valuable ideas to generate prosperity. We commissioned chapters in which each author looks at the prospects of renewal through the lens of his or her own specialty and experience . The chapters are all scholarly in nature, but they have been written for an audience that appreciates a style that is less formal than is usually found in purely academic writing. Some of the chapters are predicated upon the commonly shared point of view that the role of markets in these cities is often either misunderstood or insufficiently understood. Most share the perspective that one of the keys to renewed prosperity is Bowen.indb 1 Bowen.indb 1 12/16/2013 2:13:34 PM 12/16/2013 2:13:34 PM 2 Hill found in an increased appreciation of markets and the institutions that enable, support, and constrain them. Historically, most city leaders work in the here and now and with the expectation that change will be gradual. Today’s reality is vastly different; the pace of change has vastly accelerated. Changes that range from shorter product cycles and globalization of markets to the impact of transportation systems on sprawl require ideas and continual efforts to promote prosperity. The next chapter, by William M. Bowen and Kelly Kinahan, provides an overview of the book’s theme that we are in a time of economic transition. The world order that prevailed in the early-to-mid-twentieth century, during which time midwestern industrial cities were in their heyday, has been replaced by a different kind of global economy, one that is continuing to change. As the influence of China and India continues to grow, the U.S. economic system in general, and the regional economic systems of midwestern industrial cities in particular, will play a less dominant role. At the same time, however, much of the anxiety this transition brings about is unnecessary. While the global market dominance of midwestern cities has eclipsed, new opportunities await. Urban and regional economies can attain high levels of prosperity without economic dominance. This is followed by a chapter written by Benjamin Y. Clark, in which he asks the question: Why do some older industrial cities continue to thrive economically while others sputter and decline? In this context, are success and failure dependent on luck, or is there something more profound at play? While there are many ways to address the issue, and certainly many factors that contribute to the success or failure of cities, this chapter examines one part of that question: Can tax expenditures play a role in stimulating the growth of these cities? The focus is on how and why state and local governments use tax expenditures to attempt to improve the conditions of their communities. The chapter seeks to demonstrate that tax expenditure policy is highly inconsistent. Local governments are at the mercy of a macroeconomic environment over which they have little influence. This lack of control leaves local governments with few tools at their disposal to create positive change in their communities. The devices that these governments often turn to are tax expenditures. Unfortunately, tax expenditures play little or no role in positive economic development. Despite the evidence, politiBowen .indb 2 Bowen.indb 2 12/16/2013 2:13:34 PM 12...

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