What should be cut first? Police officers? Firemen? Public works staff? Building officials?
What about economic development staff? Compared to the essentials of public service (public safety and transportation, for example), economic development may seem discretionary—and less important.

Yet, at the same time, without economic development efforts, how can a community have a positive outlook about its future? How can economic development contribute to resolving some of the local budget issues?

In short, how can economic development be a sustainable commitment by local governing bodies?

In his upcoming book, Building Communities: 25 Strategies to Advance America, author and economic development specialist Brian Cole presents the Four Stages of Community Development Capacity model (Four Stages model).

The Four Stages model asserts that communities are at one of four stages of capacity to envision and achieve their desired future.

Many—if not most—American communities struggle at the lower end of capacity (what Cole calls Apathy Communities or Argumentative Communities). These are communities that lack the willingness, unity, and/or professional capability to get anything done.
Communities that demonstrate the capacity to envision and achieve their future by successfully implementing one project after another are referred to by Cole as Action Communities.

The overarching objective of the Building Communities methodology is to elevate communities to what Cole refers to as Alliance Communities. Alliance Communities are not only successful in advancing projects and initiatives, but they see their broader goal as the holistic advancement of the community itself. In effect, Alliance Communities seek to realize their ultimate potential.

More than any other capacity stage, Alliance Communities see economic development on par with public safety, transportation, and other governance responsibilities. Alliance Communities frequently make budget decisions with the long term in mind, understanding that the steady economic advancement of the community holds the ultimate solution to the ever-present budgetary cycles that virtually all American communities confront.

For Action or Alliance communities, the Building Communities methodology offers the Alliance Builder tool.

The Alliance Builder tool is simply a contract amongst all key leaders of the community that states that sustainable economic development activity cannot be compromised in good times or bad times.

The Alliance Builder tool is but one of three new economic development tools being advanced in the soon-to-be-published book, Building Communities.