By L. Hunter Lovins & Michael Kinsley
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Residents of many growing towns and cities are learning the hard way that growth is not the solution to their economic woes. While they enjoy the benefits of growth, they also are vexed by the problems it causes: traffic congestion, crime, long commutes, air pollution, increasing
intolerance, disrespect for traditional leadership, and increasingly cutthroat competition in local business. Rapid growth often causes higher rents, housing shortages, spiraling costs, and demands for higher wages to meet the higher cost of living.
Communities tolerate these side effects in hopes of capturing growth benefits. But some perceived benefits are illusory. For instance, most people believe that growth will give them an increased tax base that would relieve their tax burden and improve public services. But several
studies have discovered the contrary.
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