Local Government Economics in Theory and Practice

Most Western countries have some form of democratic local government. Thus, they have to consider what is the appropriate role for local authorities and how these authorities should be financed. These have been active issues in recent years, yet there has been little effort by economists from different countries to learn from each other. "Local Government Economics in Theory and Practice" begins to rectify this situation. A series of chapters examine the theoretical basis for different systems of local government finance and how these work out in practice. This is particularly important when systems of local government finance are undergoing thorough revisions. This book covers various aspects of recent and proposed reforms in the United Kingdom and includes a discussion of the rationale for the community charge. Contributors include Giancarlo Pola, Gianluigi Galeotti, Erich Thoeni, Antoni Castells and Joaquim Vilanova, Jeffrey Owens, Glen Bramley and Julian Le Grand, and Gordon Hamilton, among others. This book should be of interest to academics and undergraduates in economics and public administration.