Urban Public Service Costs and Benefits of Rural-To-Urban Migration

In a recent article, Hildreth and Schaller suggest that researchers can make important contributions to community development programs by analyzing the trade-offs resulting from increasing economic activity in rural communities or moving the people to jobs in other communities, and the subsequent effects of these alternatives on the allocation of community services. Although they concentrate on the delivery of public services to rural communities, it is important to note that urban public service costs are a major factor influencing the current emphasis on “place development,” rather than encouraging rural-to-urban migration.