• How long have they held their jobs (history)? Is the community's political/ professional infrastructure stable? Experienced elected officials rely on their professional staff. Staff endorsement for a public-private project often carries more weight than an outside private company proposal. And, with term limits, the professional staff may be around long after the elected officials are replaced.
• Xenophobia (fear of foreigners) is rampant in local governments (e.g., no company office in state is viewed with suspicion).