Yes, Land Use Is Sexy (and pays the bills)

I learned many things during my time at the Port Authority—chief among them just how critical strategic land use is to a city’s fiscal “bottom line.” The Saint Paul Port Authority’s newly updated analysis of the city’s industrial sector drives that point home. Dare I say, it’s sexy.
 
The report analyzes all industrially zoned land in Saint Paul and compares it to commercial and residential uses. The takeaway is clear: industrial land is the city’s most efficient generator of property tax revenue and a powerful engine of economic impact. Put plainly, industrial jobs create economic mobility, financial resilience, and long-term affordability for the city as a whole.
 
Consider this: just 1.9% of Saint Paul parcels are zoned industrial, yet they generate 9.3% of the city’s total property tax revenue. For every $1 the city spends on services for industrial land, it gets $1.80 back.
 
Industrial activity in Saint Paul accounts for:

• 20% of total jobs
• More than 20% of total revenue
• $9B in direct economic output
• Over $1 billion in annual tax contributions

 
In a time when cities are grappling with budget pressures and affordability challenges, the data makes a compelling case: industrial land is a cornerstone of a resilient, inclusive urban economy.
 
See you in the trenches,
B

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