Quality of Life Amenities as Contributors to Local Economies: Views of City Managers

ABSTRACT

Is the level of importance attached to quality of life amenities, such as parks and restaurants, influenced by the objectives of the economic development strategy developed by city leaders? This research question drives the analysis presented in this article. We consider municipal leaders’ views of community amenities and how these opinions are influenced by the desire to either create jobs for community residents or generate greater municipal revenue. We evaluate the expectation that the need to generate city revenue will exert the greatest influence on the perceived importance of community amenities. Findings are generated using original survey data from city managers of 133 Texas cities. The results confirm expectations that city managers view quality of life amenities as more efficacious in contributing to revenue generation than job creation. The impact of these findings for the understanding of how city managers promote certain economic development strategies is discussed.

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Notes on contributors

James M. Vanderleeuw

James M. Vanderleeuw is a Professor of Political Science at Lamar University where he holds the Jack Brooks Chair in Government and Public Service and directs the Lamar University Center for Public Policy Studies. His research interests include local economic development, city management, urban electoral behavior, and minority politics. He is coauthor (with Baodong Liu) of Race Rules: Electoral Politics in New Orleans, 1965–2006 (2007) and has published in journals such as Economic Development Quarterly, Journal of Women, Politics and Policy, Public Administration Quarterly, PS: Political Science & Politics, and Social Science Quarterly.

Jason C. Sides

Jason C. Sides is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Southeast Missouri State University where he teaches courses on administrative theory and fiscal administration, among others. His research interests include public organizations, local political institutions, and economic development. He has published in American Politics Research, Political Analysis, Information Polity, Public Administration Quarterly, and SAGE Open.