If you put aside the debate over the overt, or non-existent depending on your viewpoint, hucksterism of Richard Florida’s economic development prescriptions as described by Alec MacGillis in the American Prospect, you’ll find the piece has spawned a real debate over what sorts of policy approaches might best work for the places we call shrinking cities.
While MacGillis’ smackdown is entertaining (prompting Willy Staley at Next American City to say the whole piece reminded him of the Simpsons monorail episode), his blog debate with Ryan Avent examines the gamut of issues surrounding the cities wracked by declining industries and population loss.
My colleagues will have more to say on this issue in the coming months, but for now, as they say, worth reading.