State and Local Government The Essentials

by Bowman, Ann O’M.; Kearney, Richard C.

• ISBN13: 9780618968282
• ISBN10: 0618968288
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-03-14
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

The Essentials version of State and Local Government shares its thematic structure and approach with the bestselling full-length text of the same name, providing condensed yet comprehensive coverage of local government and public policy issues. The authors explain the structures of state and local government--including historical perspective--as well as the function of each in the current political scene. Through engaging coverage of current events and an accessible writing style, the text fosters student interest and involvement in state and local politics and policy. For instructors who prefer a more streamlined text or for those who teach one-semester courses, The Essentials features six fewer chapters than its full-length counterpart--and a limited focus on policy.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
New Directions for State and Local Government	p. 1
Studying State and Local Government in the Twenty-First Century	p. 2
The Capacity of States and Localities	p. 4
The People: Designers and Consumers of Government	p. 12
Linking Capacity to Results	p. 18
Chapter Recap	p. 18
Federalism and the States	p. 20
The Concept of Federalism	p. 22
The History of U.S. Federalism	p. 24
Models of Federalism	p. 32
Intergovernmental Relations	p. 35
Federal Purse Strings	p. 38
The Future of Federalism	p. 42
Chapter Recap	p. 44
State Constitutions	p. 46
The Evolution of State Constitutions	p. 47
Weaknesses of Constitutions	p. 51
Constitutional Reform	p. 55
Methods for Constitutional Change	p. 59
State Responsiveness and Constitutional Reform	p. 64
Chapter Recap	p. 65
Citizen Participation and Elections	p. 67
Participation	p. 67
Elections	p. 73
Direct Democracy	p. 78
Citizen Access to Government	p. 82
The Effects of Citizen Participation	p. 85
Chapter Recap	p. 87
Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Campaigns	p. 89
Political Parties	p. 89
Interest Groups	p. 96
Political Campaigns	p. 104
Chapter Recap	p. 111
State Legislatures	p. 113
The Essence of Legislatures	p. 113
Legislative Dynamics	p. 115
Legislative Behavior	p. 123
How a Bill Becomes Law (or Not)	p. 125
Legislative Reform and Capacity	p. 128
Relationship with the Executive Branch	p. 132
Legislatures and Capacity	p. 136
Chapter Recap	p. 136
Governors	p. 138
The Office of Governor	p. 139
The Roles of the Governor: Duties and Responsibilities	p. 142
Formal Powers of the Governor	p. 149
Informal Powers	p. 158
Removal from Office	p. 161
Other Executive Branch Officials	p. 162
The Capability of U.S. Governor	p. 164
Chapter Recap	p. 164
Public Administration: Budgeting and Service Delivery	p. 166
Public Employees in State and Local Government: Who They Are, What They Do	p. 168
Budgeting in State and Local Government	p. 168
Human Resource Policy in State and Local Government: From Patronage to Merit	p. 176
The Politics of Bureaucracy	p. 185
Reinventing Government	p. 187
The Quality of Public Administration	p. 191
Chapter Recap	p. 193
The Judiciary	p. 195
The Structure of State Court Systems	p. 196
How Judges Are Selected	p. 200
Judicial Decisionmaking	p. 209
Judicial Federalism	p. 214
Administrative and Organizational Improvements	p. 216
Crime and Criminal Justice	p. 219
Chapter Recap	p. 221
State-Local Relations	p. 223
The Distribution of Authority	p. 224
State-Local Organizations	p. 230
Metropolitics: A New Challenge For State Government	p. 231
States and Their Rural Communities	p. 239
The Interaction of States and Localities	p. 240
Chapter Recap	p. 241
Local Government: Structure and Leadership	p. 243
Five Types of Local Governments	p. 243
Leadership in Local Government	p. 256
Communities and Governance	p. 266
Chapter Recap	p. 266
Taxing and Spending	p. 269
The Principles of Finance	p. 270
Revenues	p. 272
The Political Economy of Taxation	p. 284
Managing Money	p. 291
State and Local Spending	p. 294
Current Issues in State and Local Finance	p. 298
Chapter Recap	p. 298
References	p. 1
Index	p. 1
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