The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority: A Smart Growth Machine?
Department
Political Science and International Affairs
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-2008
Abstract
Molotch, Stone, and others demonstrated that business leaders exercise major influence in American urban politics. Business leaders with local economic interests have long promoted growth in American cities. This article discusses the historical influence of Atlanta's business leaders in the city's economic growth and focuses on their role in the policy shifts in the 1990s, from unfettered growth to "smart growth." In response to Atlanta's worsened image for attracting business and the restrictions imposed by the EPA in using federal money, Atlanta's business leaders led the political process that created the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. The implications of this process for the theories of urban politics and the future directions for regional governance are discussed.
Journal Title
Politics & Policy
Journal ISSN
1555-5623
Volume
31
Issue
3
First Page
488
Last Page
511
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1111/j.1747-1346.2003.tb00159.x