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WLURP Research Report No. 2 abstract


Home >> Land use >> WLURP Research Report No. 2 abstract
Paying for Local Services: The Cost of Community Services for Nine Wisconsin Municipalities

Costs of Community Services (COCS) studies shed light on how different types of land use affect a community's fiscal position. COCS studies explain whether or not different types of land uses generate more (or less) revenue than they consume in public services. This report details the results of nine COCS studies that were selected to represent different types of communities in terms of proximity to urban areas, diversity of land uses and degrees of development pressure. These studies are meant to prompt discussion within communities on the role of different land use types in the planning process and to demonstrate the value of having a diverse tax base. An understanding of the fiscal costs and revenues generated by different types of land is important as policy makers grapple with issues of sprawl and increasing rates of farmland conversion. While this study is based on specific case study examples, the general trends are applicable to many of Wisconsin's towns.

This publication is available in five parts: