ECON 4270

State and Local Public Finance

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024.

This course provides an introduction to state and local public finance. The course has two goals: first, to provide institutional detail about U.S. state and local governments and their policies, and, second, to use economic theory to analyze public policy issues that arise in the state and local government setting. The course is divided into eight parts. Parts I and II provide background by reviewing key theoretical concepts in public finance and public choice: Part I covers the normative economic theory of the role of government in a market economy and Part II covers some standard positive theories of policy-making. Part III introduces the theory of fiscal federalism, which seeks to provide guidance on the appropriate role of state and local governments. Parts IV and V discuss different ways in which the provision of state and local goods and services are financed: Part IV deals with non-tax sources of finance and Part V covers commonly used taxes. Part VI explains the budget process of state and local governments. Part VII describes how three of the most important state and local government responsibilities are organized: education, transportation, and health and welfare. Finally, Part VIII discusses state and local government policies towards residential and business development.

When Offered Fall or Spring.

Distribution Category (SBA-AS, SSC-AS)

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