By Dr. James “Jim” Kadlecek
“Whatever is going to happen is already happening.” – Sylvia Porter
Most every Monday, I have lunch with a bunch of “used-to-bes.” This little, informal group is composed mostly of guys who used to be politicians, engineers, teachers, federal employees, businessmen, etc. We even have a psychologist or two, and we also have a younger “wanna-be” in the group. Some are retired, some are not. Both political parties are represented. Occasionally, our group is significantly improved by the attendance of a member of the opposite sex.
The group has no purpose, just discussion and conversation about whatever anyone wants to talk about. The variety and informality makes for some active and interesting discussion. Recently, like the community at large, we have discussed area growth and water. Our engineer was asked how much water we have. The underlying question is whether we have the water to accommodate population growth and the current housing boom. It’s a good question, and one that many local residents are asking.
Our engineer did his best to respond, but it’s one of those simple questions that has no easy answer. I pointed out that about eight years ago, during my two-year stint as executive director at Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance, we sponsored a series of community meetings on this question. We had all the water experts there representing different governments and other groups. We got lots of good information. Bottom line: There’s plenty of water for growth if you want to take it away from the farmers. In short, the policy question is, “Does the area want to sacrifice agriculture to accommodate more people?”
That’s what it boils down to. And this is what is gradually happening. A drive through the south county graphically demonstrates this. Subdivisions and nice homes with acreages are springing up, taking the place of cultivated farm land. I do not think this will change. The market forces are too strong, and the profits are too temptingly large.
However, the pace of population growth could, and probably will, be slowed. As more and more people get concerned about traffic congestion, costs of housing, water availability, school crowding, environmental issues and all the other problems that come with population growth, there will be pressure to slow down. Committees and study groups will be formed. Local officials, who are now largely pro-growth, will be replaced with those who are less enthused about it. Policies regarding growth will change in a direction that will make it more difficult. Housing costs will become so unrealistically high that more and more working people will be priced out of the market.
This is already happening.
Growth is not necessarily economic development
So, here’s the question: Is this growth a good thing? Is it contributing to genuine economic development?
Now, to my real point in writing this little essay: Real estate development is not the same thing as economic development.
I’ve spent more than 25 years working as an economic development professional. One of my greatest frustrations has been the notion held by many public officials and citizens, and even businesspeople who should know better, that more population, more housing, more retail stores, is economic development. It isn’t.
True economic development amounts to economic improvement. That means better and more jobs for the working people who sustain our enterprise economy. It means bringing in or starting enterprises that market a product or service outside our area – to the nation or the world – and bring in new money, with which they hire and pay a living wage to local employees.
It means significant increases in wages and in productivity. It means a better-educated and more-skilled work force, which will attract a better quality of company. It means a community where quality of life is emphasized, and where companies want to be, not because labor is cheap, but because it’s a place where their employees want to live and raise families.
The challenge is to pursue good, healthy economic growth that benefits as many citizens as possible, not the type of growth that simply increases the population. It isn’t easy, but it can be done. Will we be smart enough to do it?
Kadlecek has lived in