Executive Summary

Lessons from the Past for Urban Policy in the Era of Trump

The stunning election of Donald Trump as president throws the future of urban policy into doubt. During the campaign he promised to bring new jobs and improved infrastructure to the inner cities, but so far he has furnished no details. Some of the strategies carried out by cities and states in the past may offer the incoming administration some guidance.

 

 

Bloomberg: The Neo-Liberal Economic Developer?

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These days New York City’s new Mayor De Blasio is proclaimed by many to be the wave of the future? For the Curmudgeon, it's too early to tell. Instead, this review looks in the rear view mirror and critiques his predecessor’s economic development approach (Mayor Michael Bloomberg). The review seeks (1) to understand Bloomberg’s economic development strategy; and (2) grapple with the "luxury city/two cities" dialogues which seemingly carried De Blasio into office. Are luxury city/two cities mere ideological metaphors used to attack a political opponent? Or do these concepts constitute a real economic development strategy? What can economic developers learn from this debate? Continue Reading...