The Role of Local Elected Officials in Economic Development – 10 Things You Should Know (Please Pass This Along To Your Elected Representatives)

Economic development is the process of building strong, adaptive economies. Strategies driven by local
assets and realities, a diverse industry base and a commitment to equality of opportunity and sustainable
practices have emerged as those that will ensure a strong foundation for long-term stability and
growth. Even within the parameters of these principles, what constitutes success in economic development
and the specific strategies to accomplish it will look different from place to place. Despite these
differences, leadership is consistently identified as a critical factor in effective economic development.

Dedicated leadership is needed to raise awareness, help develop and communicate a common vision,
and motivate stakeholders into action. Although leadership can come from many places within the
community, local elected officials are particularly well-positioned to take on this role. The political
influence of elected leadership is critical to helping communities stay the course toward a vibrant
economic future. From the bully pulpit to the design and coordination of public policies, mayors and
councilmembers have opportunities every day to effect change and promote a strategic vision of economic
growth for their community.

The goal of this guide is not to provide a one-size-fits-all solution to economic development or even
to offer an Economic Development 101. Nor does this guide contend that elected officials should be
economic development experts. The goal is instead to identify fundamental ways elected officials can
become informed and strategic decision-makers who can connect the policy “dots,” be effective communicators
and take a leadership role in economic development. The guide is based on the premise that
elected officials can and should actively participate in and lead long-term development strategies that
make sense for their community.

The format of the guide is a “top 10 list” of things elected officials should know about economic development
in order to be effective leaders. These include:

Full Report: http://www.nlc.org/ASSETS/AFF22D4F967E4F67A8B05818E7CC743E/RI_EconDevelop10things_FINALv4.pdf