Economic development strategies for a tough economy.

• Author: Kinney, Anne Spray
• Position: From the editor

Every area of government is being affected by the current economic situation. I Jurisdictions are looking for effective strategies to address increasing vacancy rates, declining property values, and pinched budgets. This issue of Government Finance Review provides a number of ideas for successfully addressing these issues.

In One City's Response to Difficult Economic Times, Paul Cawley talks about learning from the new economic reality and moving forward with a fresh new look at economic development. He describes the strategies and initiatives the City of Coral Springs, Florida, has developed--and continues to develop--to ensure that the city is ready when the economy recovers.

In Capital Program Considerations in Challenging Times, John Fishbein and Christopher P. Morrill discuss the importance of financial and program considerations in developing a capital program strategy, especially in challenging economic times. They provide examples of useful strategies from a number of local governments.

Many jurisdictions are faced with the question of how to attract reinvestment in distressed areas. In Operation NoVacancy Helps Spur Reinvestment in Distressed Commercial and Industrial Corridors, Andrea Surratt, Dave Leonetti, and Mike Bennett describe an innovative program that encourages new businesses to locate in their city's vacant and under-used buildings.

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