They’re eager to invest in the community.

They put their kids in school and extracurricular activities. They buy houses, go out to eat, buy all things they need to start their new life. The beauty of recruiting people rather than bricks-and-mortar is that in addition to their jobs and tax base, they bring their families with them. Rather than give away tax revenue to corporations that may or may not deliver on all of their ambitions, why not incentivize these remote workers who actively want to relocate, and who, incidentally, bring a lot more than their tax dollars with them? And thanks to remote work, they can have it. Some want mountains some want water some want a place where they can afford a bigger house and yard and better schools for their kids. Some of these people want rural areas or college towns. And an estimated 15 million people with remote work capability actively want to move to communities where they can live their best lives. More than 40 million Americans are expected to be fully remote in the next five years. That would result in tens of millions in annual economic impact. The effort, funded with a budget of $2.5 million, is expected to bring in hundreds of new residents to the state this year. About two dozen Indiana cities are already working with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to take advantage of recruiting remote workers - people rather than factories. Worse, Brookings research suggests that at least 75% of the time, typical incentives do not affect a business’s decision on where to locate and create jobs-they’re all cost and limited benefit.īut too many mayors and economic development groups still approach economic development with a single-focus like Charlie Brown, always thinking today will be the day they send Lucy’s football soaring across the field. It can take 18-36 months for a company to relocate and 3-5 years before that company reaches scale. Negotiating over tax incentives, zoning and the myriad issues that comes with enticing companies large and small is lengthy and often contentious. Add a declining population, retiring Baby Boomers and the age-old struggle to keep younger generations from ditching their hometowns for adventure across state lines, and it can be overwhelming.

Specifically, “How can I help my town grow?”įor small and mid-size cities, attracting new businesses that can provide their citizens meaningful jobs and the community the tax base it needs to provide basic services can feel like an impossible task. And the pressing problem on most of their minds is economic development. They are public servants, and problem-solvers of the highest order. Mayors are some of my very favorite people.

Vice city licence key