Reducing Inequality Through Political Participation in Planning Processes

• In Event: Confronting Urban Inequalities

Abstract

Are meaningful political participation opportunities the key to reducing inequality and increasing economic growth for both the local government and the private citizen? This paper explores both the City of Miami, Florida and the City of Denver, Colorado to consider how front-loaded mass public and political participation and citizen engagement opportunities have changed property values, levels of inequality, and local government fiscal impacts. These case study comparisons and the fiscal impact and land value analyses are used to uncover the likelihood of there being a correlation of positive fiscal impacts and economic growth for all while making recommendations for advancing the quality and opportunities for citizen engagement and public participation. This exploration weaves together public administration, political science, and facets of urban and regional planning to attempt to uncover how citizen engagement and these public processes can impact economic growth and serve to reduce inequality through increased access and a sense of ownership and authorship to create diverse, vibrant communities where residents have a strong emotional attachment and identity.
These findings highlight the importance of advancing and further researching public and political participation and citizen engagement processes for their intrinsic and extrinsic values while providing techniques for successfully encompassing as many voices and interests in the community as possible. These practices are not simply intended for sound politicking but can also serve as economic generators, leading to quantifiable increases and benefits for all involved. It is the responsibility of the local government to expand the outreach and scope of public participation while advancing the quality of these opportunities to encompass the meaningful participation of all persons and interests within the community.
The level of these meaningful participation opportunities and techniques employed have been correlated to the respective economic growth and prevalence of inequality within each case study context and different time intervals and in response to two different planning regulatory frameworks. These findings also demonstrate the value per acre and the cost to provide services and the revenues generated as a result of advanced planning and public participation opportunities within each context. Attempts have been made to examine engagement and participatory methods to consider the time and cost to produce community outreach and while examining if these were created to provide the opportunity for the public to fully engage in the political process. This study also explores whether or not a common language, vocabulary, or a tool box were necessary to advance economic growth while reducing inequality by collaborating with the public to foster the highest quality and greatest level of citizen engagement and public participation.

Author

• Kristina L. Wright, City of High Springs/University of Florida