The Nature and Significance of the Overland Park/Johnson County Economy

Abstract

The Overland Park Chamber of Commerce commissioned the Institute for Public Policy and Business Research to do this study because the Chamber is interested in developing some quantitative estimates of the economic significance of service and administrative firms in the Overland Park area. Service industries and administrative firms make up a very significant portion of the Overland Park and Johnson County economies, but the community is unable to provide hard facts about the specific impacts of these industries on the city, county and state. The Chamber believes, as this study confirms. that the impact of these firms on the local and state economies is very significant. Thus. the purpose of this study is to obtain economic impact data that can guide decision makers on issues affecting the community.

This study analyzes the economic impact and significance of export­ oriented regional service firms and national and regional headquarters located in Johnson County. It includes analyses of published data on the Johnson County economy, data from a survey of service and headquarters firms located in Overland Park, tax simulations performed for three hypothetical firms, and the estimated tax revenue and total economic impacts of such firms located in Johnson County.