Regional Community Development News - Top Stories - July 18-21, 2011


1. State reveals economic 'blueprint' | Boulder County Business Report


Colorado officials will focus on nurturing innovative companies, improving access to capital and aggressively recruiting and retaining businesses, according to an economic development plan released Wednesday by Gov. John Hickenlooper.


The plan, named "The Colorado Blueprint," was developed by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade with consultation of county and regional economic development organizations. The blueprint was the result of Hickelooper's campaign promise to create a "bottom-up" economic plan for Colorado.


The plan outlines six focus areas to promote the state economy. They are creating a business friendly environment; recruiting, growing and retaining businesses; increasing access to capital; creating and marketing a stronger "Colorado brand," work force education and training; and cultivating innovation and technology.


...
The report can be read online at www.colorado.gov/coloradoblueprint 


2. Regional Planning Efforts Have Friends in High Places | New Jersey Future


The State of New Jersey has identified three areas where special circumstances justify the creation of regional planning bodies to oversee development and preservation decisions: the Meadowlands (1969), the Pinelands (1979) and the Highlands (2004). Together these areas comprise 2,800 square miles, fully 37 percent of the state’s land area.


Recently, however, some have questioned whether the regional planning bodies in these areas really matter, or whether they just add an unnecessary layer of government or red tape.


In their latest Star-Ledger column, Govs. Brendan Byrne and Tom Kean made it clear where they stand on regional planning. ...


Gov. Kean’s comments touched more broadly: “Regional planning in the state is absolutely vital — in the Highlands, in the Pinelands, in the Meadowlands. We cannot go backwards, so you’re right. We have to pay attention here and make sure we have a livable state to pass on to our children.”
...


 3. Slumps in Consumer Spending - Graphic - NY Times


Slumps in Consumer Spending During economic downturns, consumers usually spend less on what the Fed calls “discretionary services” — items like education, entertainment, restaurant meals and insurance. But in the chart below, it’s clear that consumers today are cutting back much more sharply. Part of the reason: In previous years, households often added debt to continue spending. Now the bill has come due.


 4. Marion CAN DO! joins Columbus regional group | The Marion Star 


Described as a "potential game changer" by the city/county regional planning director, Marion CAN DO!'s joining of a 10-county regional economic development initiative is already showing promise, ...


Columbus 2020 is a private/public partnership in which the Columbus Partnership joined with many people and groups including more than 500 community leaders in the 10-county region to improve economic development in central Ohio.


The organization identified central Ohio's key assets and challenges, visited peer cities, compiled a fact base on the region's current economic development efforts and developed a case for regional change.


Columbus 2020 ... Marion and Knox counties were added to the central Ohio region, which initially comprised only Franklin, Delaware, Union, Morrow, Licking, Fairfield, PIckaway and Madison counties. He said including Marion and Knox counties "makes a lot of sense because of the proximity to the Port Columbus Airport. ... I think it's fantastic."


 5. Bagging AMBAG | Monterey County Weekly


There’s more to road rage than angry drivers. Transportation and planning agencies in the region are butting heads when it comes to who does what, and some of them are proposing to eliminate the regional Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments.


As a federally designated metropolitan planning organization, AMBAG oversees long-range growth strategies for San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. After both the Transportation Agency for Monterey County and Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission boards directed staff to consider realigning planning functions, AMBAG board members have been on the defense.
...


The AMBAG board ousted Director John Doughty in May, and on July 13 directed his interim replacement, Les White, to create a restructuring proposal.


“One of the first things I was faced with is the fact that various agency executives and some elected officials were talking about the dissolving or modifying of AMBAG,” White says. ...


 6. Off the bus - Bites - Opinions - July 21, 2011 - Sacramento News & Review


Mayor Kevin Johnson and his merry band took their Think Big Sacramento show on the road last week.


The bus tour was of course part of the effort to drum up public support for public subsidies for a new Kings arena, and the Big kids unveiled yet another study—the “Capitol Corridor Impact Report”—which shows that most of the patrons at Arco Arena over the last few years have been from outside the city of Sacramento.


Nothing we didn’t know there, but Bites supposes the idea is to show a new NBA arena will be an asset for the whole region, and so the whole region should want to help pay for it.


The booster club’s own math shows a new arena isn’t really going to generate much new spending. And Think Big’s “Economic Engine Report” ... biggest impact will be right around the site of a new facility.


As a general rule, Bites is all for that. But out in the burbs, where the word regionalism is often translated as “redistribution of wealth,” Bites can’t imagine they’ll be on board.


 7. Twelve smart people, plus three smart ideas | Cincinnati.com


Sharing services, combining operations and even merging governments were the hot topics ... Nothing brought more sense of urgency from our panel of experts, many of whom insisted our region must transcend its traditional political subdivisions - cities, townships, villages, counties, even states - in order to thrive.


Former mayor and council member Ken Blackwell framed it as a matter of economic survival, allowing us to compete with other areas, such as Indianapolis, Louisville and Lexington, that have combined.


"This is an issue of growth - either you grow or decay," Blackwell said. "We need a structure that fosters economic growth. That means we need to aggregate communities of interest who understand the importance of growth. People have to see what their interest is in development."


... former city manager ... "I believe you need significant change at the state level. We need to get rid of townships as a form of government. The state's going to have to force the issue."


 8. 'Sun Corridor' partners hire contractor to promote Arizona in California market - TriValley Central


Regional economic development and governmental agencies across the state today announced a significant advancement in their alliance, known as the Arizona Sun Corridor Partnership (ASCP). The partnership, composed of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC), the Greater Yuma Economic Development Corporation (GYEDC), Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, Inc. (TREO), the City of Flagstaff and Pinal County, has pooled funds to hire a private contractor to focus on business development efforts in California.
...


“The Sun Corridor is one of only 10 U.S. markets expected to see most of the nation’s growth in the next 35 years. We need to work together as Arizonans, aggressively leveraging this unique position in attracting businesses looking for growth in the Southwest,” said Joe Snell, president and CEO of TREO.
...


 9. NIU participates in effort to win federal funding to strengthen areospace industry in Rockford | NIU Today


Seven area groups collaborated and applied for a federal grant that could significantly strengthen the region’s aerospace industry. ... “We are here to celebrate a milestone in the increasingly strong, local collaboration among higher education, economic development and workforce development. In today’s economic climate, collaboration is not just a good idea, it is an imperative.”


The grant application was for the “Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge” (JAIC) that is funded by the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of Labor Employment Training Administration (ETA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA).


The organizations submitting the grant application are Northern Illinois University, Rock Valley College, Rockford Area Economic Development Council and EIGERlab. Additional partner groups include the Rockford Region Economic Development District, Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning and Workforce Investment Board.


10. Defunct planning council faces bankruptcy - Calaveras Enterprise


The Central Sierra Planning Council closed its doors June 30, but leaves a slew of problems in its wake that must be sorted out before the council members can move forward.


“Basically, the council is now functionally defunct. It’s not operational any longer,” said Tuolumne County District 2 Supervisor Randy Hanvelt.


It was Hanvelt who called for the council to be audited, which revealed that it was spending significantly more than it was taking in. The discovery eventually led to the dissolution of the council.


“I think it’s sad,” Hanvelt said. “This is a case where a joint powers authority, a government agency, mismanaged funds.”


Tuolumne County Auditor-Clerk Debi Russell told the board at its July 7 meeting in Angels Camp that the council could face up to $1.6 million in unfunded pension liabilities.


District 4 Supervisor ... said there is little to no money to pay for the liabilities and thus the council is considering a municipal bankruptcy, among other options.


11. RDA fight is over


The Indiana Supreme Court brought an end Wednesday to Porter County's attempts to withdraw as a member of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.


The court voted 4-1 not to accept the county's request to hear the case, following the county's defeat at the state appellate court level.


"It's time to move forward," said Porter County Council member Laura Blaney, D-at-large, who helped trigger the attempted withdrawal in April 2009. The move resulted in a legal battle with the council losing at both the trial and appellate court levels.
...
While pleased with Wednesday's ruling, RDA Executive Director Bill Hanna said the case already was becoming history.


"We've already moved past this issue," he said.


That was made possible by the council's appointment of Good, along with the re-establishment of communication between the RDA and the County Council and commissioners, Hanna said.
...


12. Land-of-Sky Regional Council receives national award for Linking Lands project | The Asheville Citizen-Times 


The Land-of-Sky Regional Council, based in Asheville, received a 2011 Innovation Award from the National Association of Development Organizations Research Foundation for its Linking Lands and Communities in the Land-of-Sky Region initiative.


The Linking Lands and Communities Project emerged from a need for better tools to help the region plan for growth and development while sustaining healthy natural systems. Land-of-Sky Regional Council, along with over 40 local and regional partners, worked together to gather information about the region’s natural and cultural resources and identify opportunities to link these systems into a regional “green infrastructure” network.


... For more than 20 years, NADO’s Innovation Award has provided regional development organizations throughout the nation a unique opportunity to showcase their important work and their critical role in promoting economic development for rural and small metropolitan communities,” said NADO President Tim Ware...


13. Regional development councils seen as progress » Press-Republican


Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled part of his economic-development plan Wednesday that could have a big local impact.


The plan calls for 10 regional economic-development councils that will be able to apply for state funding to support projects they deem part of their local strategy.


The applications will go to a new consolidated funding application, which will provide grant funds and tax credits from dozens of existing programs, which have a pool of $1 billion available.
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Previously, projects needed to make separate applications to various potential sources.


Now, one application will provide access to nine state agencies: Empire State Development; New York State Canal Corp.; New York State Energy Research and Development Authority; Environmental Facilities Corp.; Homes and Community Renewal; Department of Labor; Division of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Department of State; and Department of Transportation.


14. What's The Opposite of Smart Growth? - Palmer-Forks, PA Patch


... if human-scale, walkable development is "smart," it's worth reflecting on what's not smart: the low-density sprawl, McMansions and Big Box shopping centers the region was building furiously in the outlying townships before the housing bubble burst.


The reason this kind of development isn't smart is that it's simply not sustainable, economically, fiscally or environmentally.


Over the past 10 years, the Lehigh Valley has built miles and miles of infrastructure with no regard for how residents would pay for the lifelong maintenance costs.


No one has priced in the toll unrestrained outward growth will take on the environment, or the vampiric impact of job sprawl on the region's productivity and GDP.


Just look to the east to see how this will end: New Jersey is quickly running out of horizontal space, and eastern Pennsylvania could easily find itself in a similar situation if we don't get a handle on sprawl. These development practices are "unsustainable" because they ...


15. Regionalism doesn't work for Palm Beach County - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com


Ever run up against ideas that sound good, but don't seem to pan out? For example, it "sounds" good for the South Florida business community to engage in "regional cooperation." There's even a regional business alliance that has been engaged in efforts since 2003.


At some point, it is fair to ask if Palm Beach County has been treated fairly by regionalism partnerships in a Dade/Broward/Palm Beach trifecta. ...


Regional cooperation requires that a coalition be built, which only works when a true partnership is in play. Creating a coalition among the counties of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade is not hard to do, and has been done. But the coalition begins to lose value if the work of the group unduly benefits one or more members over others. Another bugaboo threatens if the coalition achieves some successes, and it's time to divvy up the prizes. Then, economic chauvinism emerges, and too often the divvying ends in one or more of the coalition members getting the shaft.


16. Regional Water Supply Plan Shows Long-Term Shortfall


Due to new state requirements, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) has drafted a regional water supply plan through the next several decades that includes current and estimated future water needs for Hampton Roads localities along with suggestions on coping with future shortages. Though most of the region will likely have adequate water supply through the period, the York-James Peninsula will fall short around 2040, according to the draft of the report set to be adopted by the HRPDC Wednesday.


The York-James Peninsula includes James City County, York County, and the Cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, and Williamsburg. Based on current trends, demand will exceed supply in 2041 under average conditions. By 2050, the water supply plan estimates a shortage of about 6 million gallons per day (which could be up to 21 million gallons per day under extreme conditions).


... projected shortage “I expect we will pursue this regionally, ...


17. Ardmore Will Host Local Business Owners as Regional ‘Classic Town’ - Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood, PA Patch


In just its second annual “Classic Towns Trolley Tour,” scheduled for Wednesday, July 27, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has chosen to spotlight Ardmore, starting the day with a breakfast hosted by the Ardmore Initiative.


About three dozen local business owners and representatives from other DVRPC-designated “Classic Towns” throughout the region will also tour Ardmore’s downtown business district, and visit the Frank Lloyd Wright “Suntop” homes on Summit Road.


One of the homes, built in 1939 with the ambition of being a cornerstone for a new type of community planning, is currently for sale, as first reported by Patch last month. The group will be able to take a walk-through.


The DVRPC, which works within a nine-county area in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, defines characteristics of a “classic” town to be “vibrant residential neighborhoods, diverse architecture, bustling business and entertainment districts, and remarkable recreational opportunities.”
...


18. Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership and Leadership Fort Wayne Announce New Strategic Collaboration | Indiana's NewsCenter


A pair of organizations will now be working together to develop sustained regional leadership throughout Northeast Indiana.


The Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, through its Vision 2020 program, ...announced a new strategic collaboration with Leadership Fort Wayne, Inc.


Collaborative regional leadership has been identified as a key tenet for achieving success in improving the regional economy in addition to the five focus areas of Vision 2020: 21st Century Talent, Competitive Business Climate, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Quality of Life.


NEIRP and LFW's first significant activity will be to orchestrate a community visit to Denver, Colorado, .... The 2011 Regional Leadership Experience will bring together Northeast Indiana's preeminent business and community leaders to learn from the experiences and practices of Metro Denver's Economic Development Corporation-an organization that is internationally known for its collaborative approach to economic development.
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19. SunRail Breaks Ground After Years Of Planning - News Story - WFTV Orlando


SunRail is under way on Monday as the federal government officially signed its part of the construction paycheck after years of talking and planning.


Local, state, and federal officials held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday as the Federal Secretary of Transportation signed off on a $178 million agreement to build the rail line.


That money would pay for the first 31 miles of the commuter rail line, from DeLand to Orlando.


... Florida Hospital is spending $3 million of its own money to build a rail stop for its 17,000 employees.


Federal Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood and local leaders signed a joint funding agreement on Monday that allows construction to start on phase one. The train will eventually run 61 miles, connecting DeLand to Poinciana.
...


20. Nominations being accepted for new award | Martinsburg, WV  - The Journal


Region 9 Planning and Development Council is accepting nominations for its inaugural Neal Carpenter Community Service Award.


Carpenter was appointed to the council in 2004, representing Jefferson County. He devoted a great deal of time and energy to the organization, greatly assisting the staff. After battling cancer, Carpenter died in September 2010.


Council members established the award last year, naming it in honor of Carpenter. It "is intended to recognize, reward and encourage activities that have a significant impact in meeting the needs of local communities or schools in the region."


Mary Jo Carpenter said that her late husband thoroughly enjoyed his involvement with Region 9, the challenges and the friendships.


"Neal would be humbled that Region 9 is instituting this community service award in his honor," she writes. "He recognized early on an obligation to give back to the community for the opportunities he had to live an extraordinary life."


21. Esri Opens Enterprise License Agreements to Regional Governments - Directions Magazine


With encouragement from the National Association of Regional Councils, Esri is now offering enterprise license agreements (ELAs) to regional governments in the United States. Thousands of federal, state, and local governments already leverage Esri's government ELAs to centralize geospatial data and enhance operations across departments. Extended availability of government ELAs brings unlimited use of ArcGIS software to the staffs of councils of governments, associations of governments, and regional and metropolitan planning organizations.


Organizations such as the Georgia Association of Regional Commissions have already recognized the value of an enterprise-wide GIS and made special arrangements to obtain ArcGIS ELAs. The newly expanded government ELA program will make it easier for regional governments to obtain similar agreements. Because the ArcGIS system supports desktop, mobile, web, and cloud implementations from one integrated geospatial platform, regional government ...


22. Atlantic Canadian Energy Ministers Reaffirm Commitment to Regional Priorities | Canada Views


Energy Ministers from the Atlantic provinces continue to make progress on energy priorities and initiatives with regional significance.


Ministers from Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island met ...  before the Energy Minister and Mines Conference in Kananaskis, Alta.


The ministers discussed the Atlantic Energy Gateway, which will provide opportunities for development of clean energy projects in the region, the Lower Churchill project, the outcomes of the New Brunswick Energy commissioned report, and establishment of the commission on the future of electricity in Prince Edward Island.


“Our work through the Atlantic Energy Gateway will allow us to better understand how regional planning, generation and system operation will save ratepayers money and help us advance our cleaner energy agenda, especially for hydro, wind and tidal,” said Energy Minister Charlie Parker.
...


23. Report ‘alarming’ says Lynch - Local News - News - General - Cooma Monaro Express


THE board representing 12 south east regional councils, including Cooma, has refuted claims by an independent report which proposes changes to the way the Federal Government invests in regional development.


South East Regional Organisation of Councils (SEROC) has written to all relevant government ministers opposing the Grattan Institute Report which it believes contains radical conclusions that may be incorrect.


The Grattan Institute at the Melbourne University released a report titled “Investing in Regions: Making a Difference” in May.


In the report the Institute calls for the federal government to re-evaluate its investments in decentralisation, regional jobs, regional higher education and regional infrastructure. Cooma Mayor Dean Lynch said the report was alarming and could be damaging for regional towns.


The Institute is campaigning for more government funding to be directed to “bolting” towns that are experiencing high and sustained population growth on the coast, ...


24.  The bush has been rorted - Opinion - Editorial - General - The Canberra Times


Australia must invest in the regions that are the source of our wealth. It is nauseating to hear the pejorative ''pork barrelling'' used for what is strategic investment. We must think of the benefits of regionalism logically: where are the coal mines, the iron ore mines, wheat paddocks, cotton fields, the cattle and many of the tourism attractions?


Why is a bus network in a capital city ''nation-building investment'' but a road in regional Australia welfare?


Ask yourself a very simple question: how many of the consumer items that reflect your standard of living came from overseas? So who is sending something in the other direction to pay for all of this?


While only one-third of Australians live in regional areas, over half of our exports come from regional Australia. If a person with $2 goes to a table of four and kicks off a series of transactions that move the coin around the table, then broadly speaking the gross domestic product of that table would be $10. ...


25. Regional alliance guidelines released | The Australian


Victoria's $20 million fund to expand the regional delivery of degrees through alliances between universities and vocational providers requires proposals to be closely linked to regional economic development strategies.


"Proposals developed in partnership with and/or endorsed by local industry, employers, chambers of commerce and local councils will be regarded favourably," say fund application guidelines ...


The fund isn't limited to universities and TAFEs. Private providers who already receive government funding are also able to apply so long as consortia include as least one accredited higher education provider.


The fund also extends to the adult and community education sector.


...


26. Mineral-Rich Mongolia Prepares for Flood of Money - Bloomberg
...
“We are very aware this is transforming Mongolia’s economy,” says David Paterson, vice president for regional development and communications at Oyu Tolgoi, also noting that capital spending on the project’s first stage alone is equal to Mongolia’s annual gross domestic product.


Simply getting ready to mine is supercharging the tiny economy. GDP grew 6.1 percent last year and was up 9.7 percent in the first quarter of 2011 from a year earlier.


“The mining sector could very well carry Mongolia for the next 50 years,” says Parmeshwar Ramlogan, the Ulaanbaatar-based resident representative for Mongolia at the International Monetary Fund.


Ramlogan predicts Mongolia could grow at double-digit rates for at least the next 10 years, raising per capita income -- now at $2,470 -- fourfold within a decade and making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.
...


27. Water buses proposed for Fraser River in Metro Vancouver | Vancouver, Canada


Here’s one idea to get people out of their cars and off the roads: how about a new water bus on the Fraser River?


According to Jeff Malmgren, this mode of transportation connecting communities from Richmond to Maple Ridge would also lessen the strain on the transit system as well as cut the commuting time of many who travel from the suburbs.


Malmgren, a director with the Fraser RiverBus Society, will present the concept at a meeting of the regional planning committee of Metro Vancouver ...


28. Regionalism and school connections - The Korea Times


... what has still remained unsolved in my heart during the 10 years is regionalism and school connections that close ranks. While teaching in a southern province, I came to know that regional antagonism between the southeastern and the southwestern regions goes beyond hatred. While working in a central district, I also came to know that almost all the teachers in the county I worked, both who had graduated from the same university and whose hometown is in the county, formed a mafia to try to monopolize everything related to promotions. Teachers' ability was at the bottom of the list of priorities there.
...
Here, we need to rethink the American society. Where does its strength come from, which makes it possible that America still remains the most powerful nation economically and militarily? I am sure that is because the principles of democracy, free-market economy and the rule of law work well.
...


29. Govt responds to review of regional development - State News - Agribusiness and General - General - Farm Weekly


THE State’s nine Regional Development Commissions (RDCs) will be streamlined to provide greater focus on developing regional investment blueprints after analysis of a review into the commissions’ structure.


Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the review was requested by State Cabinet’s Economic Expenditure and Reform Committee and examined ways the delivery of Western Australia’s regional development agenda could be improved.


The review is the first comprehensive examination of the Regional Development Commission since its inception in 1993.


The State Government has determined the RDCs will remain as individual statutory authorities but the will be asked to work closely with the WA Planning Commission to produce detailed blueprints to identify service gaps and investment opportunities,” Mr Grylls said.
...


Further information on the Government’s response to the RDC review is available at www.rdl.wa.gov.au


30. Grant funds new places to see art - Worcester News


FIVE artists will get the chance to display their work in a slightly more unusual setting thanks to a grant.


The artists, who will all be recent graduates, will benefit from almost £26,000 given to Worcestershire County Council by Arts Council England to put on shows in non-gallery spaces.
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The project will be managed by 5x5x5=creativity, an organisation which has developed this model over the last 11 years and has worked with 140 settings in eight different local authorities.
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Jenny Peevers, relationship manager for regional planning with Arts Council England in the West Midlands, said: “The organisation behind this project is well respected for delivering high quality work with young people.


“This project represents a new challenge for them by extending their work to all age groups, including elderly in care homes, hospital patients and library users.


31. Local artists invited to apply for regional grants | Independent Tribune 


One of the Cabarrus Arts Council’s goals is to support outstanding artists and one of the ways we do that is to join with other arts councils in sponsoring the Regional Artist Project Grants.


Applicants must have lived for at least 12 months in Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan or Rutherford County in North Carolina or York County in South Carolina. They also cannot have received a Regional Artist Project Grant in the past two years.


32. 8 things you should know before starting your own convention - Intervention, The Internet Culture Convention


This post is meant to help those of you who have a great idea for a convention or event and want to know if you should go ahead and do it.


1. You must be OK with working an unpaid full time job until your event becomes sustainable. Cons are not cheap to start. I advise saving up at least $5,000-$10,000 to invest into an event that is a 3 day, full featured event like Intervention. More, if you can. Scale that down if you intend to start off small. No, you probably won’t make any money in the beginning. Yes, you will have to work harder than you do at your day job.


2. It might take 5 years for your event to become sustainable. You have to be OK with taking a short term loss your first few years. Let’s face it – you and I both know that people are more willing to support an event that they complain about that has been running for 10 years rather than try something new. It is human nature. 
...


33. 2011 City and Regional Magazine Survey - City and Regionals @ FolioMag.com


When the Mass market magazine industry plunged into recession in 2008, city and regionals were an oasis in the waste land of magazine advertising, thanks in part to a clientele that wasn’t as eager as national advertisers to jump into digital.


However, by 2009-2010, city and regional magazines were no longer immune. Historically, the ideal target margin for a city and regional magazine was around 20 percent. That’s shrunk in recent years (along with revenue and staff).


The majority of respondents (39 percent) to the 2011 FOLIO: City & Regional Magazine survey are single title publishers; 15 percent publish two titles while 10 percent publish seven or more [Chart 1]. Another 15 percent offer four to six titles, while 11 percent publish up to three magazines.
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34. The State of Metropolitan America: Suburbs and the 2010 Census - Brookings Institution


During a conference exploring the 2010 Census and the country's suburbs, Alan Berube delivered a presentation on the demographic convergence between cities and suburbs within metropolitan areas.


First, the initial results from the 2010 Census signal a continuing demographic convergence within U.S. metropolitan areas, one that is blurring the lines that have long separated cities and suburbs.


Second, this convergence results from a complicated mix of economic, social, and physical changes in metro areas, and raises a host of consequences for suburban communities at the front lines of change.


And third, in light of these growing and shared challenges, we must adopt a metropolitan approach to managing and making the most of demographic change in an increasingly metropolitan world.


...


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