Small Towns, Sprawl and the Politics of Policy Choices: The Florida Experience

In Small Towns, Sprawl and the Politics of Policy Choices, Gary Mattson explores the limitations of the Florida 1985 Growth Management Act and the social and political reaction of small town governments and residents, and reviews the subsequent dismantling of many of the act's key provisions by the Florida legislature in 1993, 1995 and 2001. Dr. Mattson also suggests potential solutions that progressive local Florida governments can adopt. Moreover, he provides lessons for avoidance that other pro-growth groups may wish to adopt to preclude such political pitfalls.