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Economic Development & Trade

Posted March 24, 2008

Contents

Economic Development

As a policy area, economic development is truly concentrated at the state and local level. The concept of economic development includes the idea of economic growth, where there is an increase in the size of the economy. Measures used to gage economic growth include investment, output, consumption and income.

But economic development also includes a notion of changing the quality or nature of the economy, such as by changing investment choices or technology. In effect, a complete list of state activities that foster economic development would include almost everything states do. Policies on public education, transportation, public health, environmental conditions and others affect the nature of an economy. At the same time, states enact dozens of more narrowly targeted programs for economic development, and NCSL tracks information on these efforts. NCSL has an overview of selected economic development topics posted on the web.

Tourism Issues

States are increasingly relying on tourism and travel as a means of economic development. And for good reason, as tourism is the world's largest industry and this country's No. 1 export. States are adopting new ways of promoting themselves domestically and abroad. NCSL has just published a paper on jobs and wages in the tourism industry. Taxes on the traveler have skyrocketed in the last several years, prompting the industry to fight tourism taxes that are not earmarked specifically for tourism promotion activities. However, local option tourism taxes such as lodging and car rental taxes continue to be popular. Through the NCSL Foundation funding of the Travel and Tourism Partners project, NCSL has published a series of reports on tourism taxes.

State Input on Free Trade Agreements

Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee (IGPAC) 

•  Background and Links for IGPAC - December 14, 2006

Sports Facilities

Professional sports have become big business generating billions of dollars annually. One of the major sources of revenue is the modern sports facilities with all its amenities and ample luxury seating. As a result, team owners are negotiating with public officials for a greater share of stadium revenues and professional teams are relocating in search of newer facilities and public subsidies. State and local governments must decide if professional sports are worth the investment of public money. NCSL completed a publication, "Playing the Stadium Game," outlining the various funding options for sports facilities.

Gambling and Lotteries

Gambling and International Trade 

• Internet Gambling and the WTO - 2006  

Gambling Articles from State Legislatures Magazine

• Gambling on Gaming (Rafool) January 2005, pp. 26-29
  • Sidebars:
    Pick Your Game, Page 27
    Legalized Gaming in the States, Page 29
• Counting on Gambling (Pulsipher) February 2005, pp. 24-26

  • Sidebars:
    The Pros and Cons of Gambling, Page 25
    How States Use Casino Tax Revenues, Page 25
• Tribes Bet on Gaming (Zelio) March 2005, pp. 26-29
  • Sidebars:
    The Biggest Money Makers, Page 26
    Gross Revenues from Tribal Gaming, Page 27
    States With Tribal Gaming, Page 27
    Gaming Revenues to States from Tribes, Page 28
    Feds Help with Crime, Page 28
• Trade Rules Gamble With State Laws (Boulard) October/November 2005, pp. 19-21

• State Gambling Ballot Measures for 1988 - 2007
• Gaming Measures Face Long Odds; Some Hit Jackpot - 2003
• Survey by NCSL of key economic development legislation, including gambling related measures - 2003
• States Look to Gamblers to Boost Sagging Budgets - 2002 Update

Other Resources

• Casino and Charitable Gaming in the States - Survey by International Gaming & Wagering Business (IGWB) Journal - 2003
• Gambling Impact and Behavior Study. This report investigates the demographics of people who gamble and the social and economic effects of gambling. NCSL has copies of various state reports on the social and economic effects of gambling.
• Gambling statutes database compiled for the National Gambling Impact Study Commission, which was convened by Congress and issued its final report in June 1999. This study commission was criticized because its members did not include any representative of state government, among other concerns. However, a great deal of research was compiled for the commission, including this statute database and the behavior study cited above, which can be helpful.
• Lotteries in the United States - This list shows what states have lotteries, when the lotteries were started and how the states use the net revenue. - 2002
• Lottery Operated Games in the States - Survey by International Gaming & Wagering Business (IGWB) Journal - 2003
• Parimutuel Wagering in the States - Survey by International Gaming & Wagering Business (IGWB) Journal - 2003
• Slots, Video Gaming and Video Lottery Terminals in the U.S. - 2002
• Tribal Gaming in the States - Tribal gaming (Indian gaming) has developed into an economic and political phenomenon in many states and continues to grow and evolve in response to a variety of factors. Little systematic information about the development of tribal gaming in other states has generally been available in the years since the inception of Class III gaming on Indian lands. The Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, in cooperation with staff of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), undertook a survey of states in October, 2004, and again in 2006 to obtain basic comparative information on tribal gaming across the country; text by Art Zimmerman, Wisconsin LFB, January 2007; update notes by Judy Zelio, NCSL.

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