Blog Posts

  • How do you disrupt the power structure inherent in CBA negotiations?

    How do you disrupt the power structure inherent in CBA negotiations?

    My latest research just published online at the Journal of Urban Affairs ABSTRACT: Community empowerment movements challenge local government administrators and planners to emphasize people instead of development profits in the planning process. Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) are popular tools to advance this objective. Executed by and between local governments, communities, and project developers, CBAs… Read more

  • Placing economic impact claims in context

    Placing economic impact claims in context

    Large and small private investors seeking public subsidies routinely turn to “Economic Impact” reports to make their case. The missing piece in virtually all of these reports is the size of the local economy where the project is situated. This is purposeful to encourage active imaginations to place a high priority on the proponents project.… Read more

  • A 10% Rule for Community Benefits Agreement Negotiations

    A 10% Rule for Community Benefits Agreement Negotiations

    I recently completed a case study of the Aggie Square project sponsored by the University of California, Davis next to a historic black community. The objective of the study was to answer a couple questions on how to measure and distribute economic benefits. My intended audience for the article was urban planners who have been… Read more

  • The Just Host: Addressing the wage structure problem in the tourism industry

    The Just Host: Addressing the wage structure problem in the tourism industry

    Since the early 1990’s, tourism development has been promoted to replace employment lost to downsizing, outsourcing and automation in both urban and rural America. These efforts are actively supported by state and local chambers of commerce. However, despite the enthusiasm for tourism within city halls and business membership organizations, planning theorists have expressed concerns about… Read more

  • Self Report Accuracy in Local Economic Development Programs

    Published in the November, 2020 issue of Economic Development Quarterly Abstract: Local economic development programs are primarily aimed at increasing employment and tax revenues. Data on these programs are collected through self-report surveys conducted by the International City Managers Association and others. This study evaluates predictors of accurate self-reporting. Using agency theory as a theoretical… Read more

  • Community Wealth

    I entered the Ph.D. program at VCU with an interest in studying the high-value (taxes)/low-wage industries that are favorites of politicians, city administrators and local economic development professionals (full disclosure: I was an economic development professional in a prior life). Before and during the program I focused much of my research, conference papers, blog posts,… Read more