Economic Issues of Growth Management in Florida

Growth management means protection of the quality of life to those who practice it, and it means exclusionary practices to those who wish to in-migrate into the managed area. The means by which a decline in the quality of life would be mitigated or eliminated has been infrastructural investment-capital improvement. However, inflation has eroded the trust fund system of capital improvement finance. The local jurisdiction must choose between a decline in the quality of life, higher local taxes, or avoidance of the problem by restricting growth, an option being increasingly selected across the country. This situation will continue to exist so long as existing residents are required to pay a portion of the cost of providing services to new residents. Tax reform alternatives are available which will assure the equitable financing of infrastructure improvements.