From Planetizen — Economic Thinking for Planners

This course shows how "Economic Thinking" can inform our thinking on big questions like why some countries are rich while some are poor and how so many us have become so much better off than our ancestors. Peter Gordon introduces the "Economic Thinking for Planners" series. Peter Gordon is Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy. His research interests are in applied urban economics. 
More at: Planetizen Courses

RT @bponsot: Which American municipalities have filed for bankruptcy? http://t.co/Zl1Jx7mYVt | pic.twitter.com/zYgtSZoyg1

— TheSidewalkBallet (@1sidewalkballet) February 8, 2014

Encore: Hello #Nanaimo? San Bernardino on the Line ― With Your Wakeup Call @StrongTowns @G_Anderson1 @Bill_McKay11 http://t.co/WJ7tWvI1DE
— TheSidewalkBallet (@1sidewalkballet) September 2, 2013

From Smart Growth America — Building Better Budgets: Savings and Revenues of Smart Growth

Local governments across the country have compared development strategies to understand their impact on municipal finances. These studies generally compare two or more different development scenarios, and help local leaders make informed decisions about new development based on the costs or revenues associated with them. No national survey has examined these savings as a whole until now. This report is the first to aggregate those comparisons and determine a national average of how much other communities can expect to save by using smart growth strategies. (Pic links to report pdf).

	1. Smart growth development costs one-third less for upfront infrastructure. Our survey concluded that smart growth development saves an average of 38 percent on upfront costs for new construction of roads, sewers, water lines and other infrastructure. Many studies have concluded that this number is as high as 50 percent.
	2. Smart growth development saves an average of 10 percent on ongoing delivery of services. Our survey concluded that smart growth development saves municipalities an average of 10 percent on police, ambulance and fire service costs.
	3. Smart growth development generates 10 times more tax revenue per acre than conventional suburban development. Our survey concluded that, on an average per-acre basis, smart growth development produces 10 times more tax revenue than conventional suburban development.

Read more: Building Better Budgets quantifies average savings and revenue of smart growth development | Smart Growth America

@jeffspeckaicp Love your new book! I am Finance Dir in Toledo, planning to buy copies for all major policymakers in city.
— Patrick McLean (@govtthatworks) December 13, 2012