This textbook provides an examination and analysis of public finance practices and problems in a federal fiscal system, focusing on the fiscal behavior and policies of state and local governments. Modern economic theory is applied to examine the way key institutions are used to produce and finance services and to provide evaluation of alternative policies.
This stalwart text will continue to be invaluable reading for those who study public finance, local government finance, urban economics, public policy, and public administration.
Ronald C. Fisher is Professor of Economics at Michigan State University, where he specializes in the finance of state and local governments and intergovernmental fiscal relations.