The Policy Profile, featured below and attached, reports the encouraging results from a Center for Governmental Studies inquiry into the near-term prospects for the aging business districts in Illinois’ medium and small cities and villages.

The Profile suggests that, with strong leadership and willing local cooperation using recently developed strategies, the future for such districts is more encouraging than it has been in the last several decades. But, while this Policy Profiles’ focus is on medium and small cities and villages, much of the information contained herein applies to Illinois’ large cities as well.