Economic Development Districts: Policy Issues and Choices

摘要

The purpose of this study is to examine the broad issues and policies that governthe planning program, not to evaluate the performance of individual planning districts. This examination of the EDD program is based on the combined perspectives of those directly involved in the EDD program at the federal and local levels, various other individuals from state and local government, officials of private organizations with an interest in the EDD program, and university scholars in diverse disciplines. The report has four major sections: The first section lists 26 policy options that arose from discussions and study. The second section examines the forces that have shaped and continue to shape the EDD program's development. The third section describes the differences among EDDs and among counties within EDDs. In the last section, the various policy issues facing the EDD program are examined in detail. These issues were identified by the participants in the first of several project meetings as deserving careful attention. They involve (1) the general mission of the EDD program, (2) funding levels and approaches, (3) intergovernmental relations; (4) the planning process, and (5) evaluating the EDD program.