Lincoln’s Growth Report
At the beginning of the 21st century, the City of Lincoln experienced unprecedented growth both economically and geographically. The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce believes this growth is essential to the future of Lincoln. There is no question as time progresses, the cost of goods and services rises. Without growing both our population and economic base, the ever-rising cost of government is constantly footed by the same group of people. If we are unable to grow, it will become impossible for our citizens to afford the amenities and city services that they have grown accustomed to and desire.
The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce recognizes this fact and continuously pushes for more funding into programs that facilitate our growth. However, not all in the community share our perspective. There are citizens and citizen groups who believe that the cost of growth on existing neighborhoods and established residents is too much and its benefits do not out weigh the expense.
The Lincoln Chamber and our growth partners at the Realtors Association of Lincoln and the Homebuilders Association of Lincoln realized in early 2005 that we could not move forward as a city until we further examined this issue. The “growth coalition” agreed to contract with the University of Nebraska’s Bureau of Business Research to conduct a scientific study to examine the both cost AND the benefit of growth.
THE RESULTS: The University’s scientific study affirmed our belief that growth in new areas not only pays for itself, but it also creates a “growth dividend”. This “growth dividend” (estimated at $5 million per-year) flows into the city’s general fund and is used to support all of the other activities a vibrant community needs to support.
Please click on the links below to read both the initial study and our follow-up piece that examines how our city has utilized this “growth dividend”:
The Impact of Growth on Quality of Life and Fiscal Conditions in Lincoln, Nebraska. - May 2005
The Growth Dividend: How Has It Been Allocated? - April 2007
