'Connecting Cities with Macro-economic Concerns' examines the influence of local public services on the economics of cities. The relationship between economic development and urbanization is indisputable; less clear, however, are the ways in which cities directly contribute to economic growth and employment creation. Current economic thinking holds that the ability of cities to create wealth depends on 'agglomeration economies.' This refers to the geographic concentration of industries and people which enables economic actors to come together, interact, and become productive. However, this abi