Local redistribution and local democracy : interest groups and the courts / Clayton P. Gillette.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gillette, Clayton P.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Distribution (Economic theory).

Local government--United States.

Local government.

Local finance--United States.

Local finance.

Physical Description:

xiii, 235 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Haven : Yale University Press, c2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The traditional theory of urban finance argues against local redistribution of wealth on the assumption that such action is likely to chase away the relatively wealthy, leaving only the impoverished behind. Nevertheless, Clayton P. Gillette observes, local governments engage in substantial redistribution, both to the wealthy and to the poor.In this thoughtful book, Gillette examines whether recent campaigns to enact "living wage" ordinances and other local redistributive programs represent gaps in the traditional theory or political opportunism. He then investigates the role of the courts in distinguishing between these explanations. The author argues that courts have greater capacity to review local programs than is typically assumed. He concludes that when a single interest group dominates the political process, judicial intervention to determine a program's legal validity may be appropriate. But if the political contest involves competing groups, courts should defer to local political judgments.

Contents:

The scope of local competence

Why does local autonomy matter?

The meaning and scope of local redistribution

Why do local governments redistribute?

Local political markets and state constitutional constraints

Proxies for distinguishing benign and malign redistribution

The limits of judicial intervention

Conclusion.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786613150622

9781283150620

128315062X

9780300171822

030017182X

OCLC:

738478532