Tuesday, December 02, 2003
Iowa Senator Grassley, a strong proponent of frugal government, has managed to stuff $50 million into the pending omnibus appropriations bill for an indoor rain forest and aquarium in Coralville, Iowa. Read more.
Curious about what a rainforest in Iowa would look like, I found a picture of the project and some additional details. Go.
There's only one problem. Someone forgot to tell Senator Grassley and his staff that acquariums are a black hole for economic development. Here's a good article from the Heritage Foundation on the issue. Go. Even in a tourist destination like Charleston, SC, aquariums stack up operating losses.
(In a newsletter to his constituents, Senator Grassley comments: "As a watchdog for taxpayers in Washington, I work hard to make sure that essential government services get funded and that the money you send to Washington is spent wisely and not wasted.")
posted by Ed Morrison |
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Some Background on EDPro Weblog
The purpose of this weblog is to help economic development professionals -- EDPros -- keep up with the changes sweeping our profession. Strap on your goggles. It's a whole new game. There are no experts any more. The only place to learn about economic development is from other EDPros who are doing it.
One other point: the prevaling approach (paradigm, if you like) in economic development is shifting from competition to collaboration. There are a lot of reaasons underlying this shift, but here's the important insight: You, your community, and your region will do better by collaborating and sharing information.
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Speaking and workshops on Open Source Economic Development
As the idea of Open Source Economic Development starts spreading, more people are asking about it. Visit the I-Open web site to learn more. My colleagues and I are happy to explain the basic concepts in a talk or a workshop. E-mail Susan Alshuler if you'd like to learn more about workshops and speaking.
Background on Ed Morrison
Download some background information on me here.
A rainforest in Iowa? Now that's economic development
