Abstract
This essay reviews two recent books on urban fiscal and economic conditions: Downtown, Inc. by Bernard J. Frieden and Lynne B. Sagalyn, and America's Ailing Cities by Helen F. Ladd and John Yinger. The basic arguments in each book are set out in some detail; with special attention to their disparate policy implications. Ladd and Yinger provide normative and empirical grounds for new national and state policies targeted to cities suffering from economic trends beyond their control, but they give little credence to local economic development efforts. In contrast Frieden and Sagalyn's case studies highlight the role of local public intervention strategies in efforts to rebuild local economies through downtown revitalization projects.
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