Abstract
A full decade has passed since Enterprise Zones (EZs) were first proposed as a program to help revive the most depressed pockets of America's cities and towns. Activity on the federal level pales in comparison to the impressive variety of approaches found in states throughout the country. In this "second generation of enterprise zones" -that is, state zones in operation-we can observe some marked shifts away from original EZ theory, some impressive and innovative techniques, and some glaring weaknesses. The agenda for the next few years, as American EZs continue to evolve (perhaps complemented soon by a substantive federal program), involves addressing these shortcomings and continuing to modify the incentives, targeting, and administration for this widespread economic development tool.
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