States and Urban Strategies. Connecticut's Urban Strategy

摘要

The nature and impact of Connecticut's urban strategy are discussed. Following a description of Connecticut's political, economic, and demographic characteristics and the current issues and problems facing the State and its communities, the origins of the urban strategy and its development are outlined, including the principal organizations and actors involved. The content of the State urban strategy is then explained, and both proposed and current actions and programs are described. Keyed to the goal of urban revitalization, the substantive components of Connecticut's urban strategy include the coordination of State programs, the distribution of State fiscal assistance, and nine functional program areas subdivided into the broad categories ranging from economic growth and employment to community conservation and development. The strategy attempts to consolidate previously disparate and disjointed activities into a comprehensive, coherent plan of action. It relies heavily upon injecting an urban orientation into routine State decisionmaking; for example, programmatic and fiscal targeting, along with routine allocation procedures, are aimed at urban jurisdictions in general and distressed jurisdictions in particular. One of the more innovative components is the promotional Urban Jobs and Developments Program.