Patrick Lakamp and James Heaney "Failed Empire" The Buffalo News, June 8-11, 2003.

In a four-part series. Patrick Lakamp and James Heaney document, in impressive detail the breakdown of former Congessman Jack Kemp's dream of economic enterprise zones in Kemp's hometown of Buffalo and elsewhere. The tax breaks are still massive, but because of backroom political deal-making, the city "is using its richest development package to provide tax breaks to some of the city's biggest corporations and most influential business executives," and, after a decade and a half with a pricetag to taxpayers of $200 million each year, the project has lured no new businesses to Buffalo and created virtually no new jobs for working-class Buffalonians. But Heaney and Lakamp, in riveting detail reach out beyond their hometown and show how enterprise zones across the country have been comparable failures, devolving into tax giveaway programs for politically connected firms with no attached promises of new jobs.

The Monthly Journalism Award is presented each month to one or more newspaper, magazine, radio or television stories (or series of stories) that demonstrate a comment to the public interest. We are particularly interested in reporting that explains the successes and failures of government agencies at all levels and of other institutions such as media, corporations, unions, and foundations that contribute to the existence of solution of public problems. Please send nominations (including a copy of the article or broadcast text) to The Washington Monthly journalism Award, 733 15th Street, NW Suite 520 Washington, DC 20005. Or email us at [e-mail]. Nominations for stories run in August are due September 5, 2003.