Brett W. Hawkins

Further Tests of Individual-Level Propositions from the Tiebout Model

Urban researchers have begun to reexamine Charles Tiebouts ideas about citizen-consumer locational choice in metropolitan areas. David Lowery and William Lyons, among others, have empirically investigated assumptions which underpin Tiebouts thesis using individual-level rather than aggregate data. The purpose of this research note is to contribute to this evolving exploration of Tiebout propositions by presenting relevant individual-level data and critically assessing recent work in the field.

Reexamining the Suburban Exploitation Thesis in American Metropolitan Areas

The argument that suburbs exploit cities has been made so often that it seems incontestable. Adherents to that view, however, rarely produce evidence for exploitation where suburban-generated benefits have been measured and compared with suburban-generated costs. Studies that examine only costs are not convincing evidence that suburbs damage cities. Relatedly, what evidence exists that metropolitan government fragmentation damages cities, while concentration helps them? When studies of those subjects are reviewed, the patterns challenge the suburban-exploitation thesis. Implications are discussed, including the significance forfederal structures of metropolitan governance.

Regional Planning Assistance: Its Distribution to Local Governments and Relationship to Local Grant Getting

Abstract Using published data on 145 member localities of a regional planning commission, this article examines the distribution of regional planning assistance relative to existing local planning capacity. It finds that one type of regional assistance is, in a sense, inequitably distributed—i.e., it goes to localities with more planning capacity—and one type is equitably distributed. This article also examines the effectiveness of regional planning assistance in generating a specific output—federal grants. Evidence indicates that it is effective in generating grants independent of local planning capacity and another local factor. The conclusions stress the possible benefits of a compensatory distribution of regional planning assistance.

A Macro Analysis of the Effects of Planning Agency Professionalism on Municipal Planning Outputs

Abstract Noting the relative scarcity of macro studies of planning, this research focuses on differences in the professional development of municipal planning agencies. That phenomenon is measured with statistics on both planners and planning organizations. We hypothesize that the more professionalized the municipalitys planning agency, the greater the agencys output of planning products, such as plans, technical studies, and zoning regulations. We also hypothesize that certain aspects of the socioeconomic context of municipal planning affect planning outputs. These aspects are resources that suggest a fiscal capacity for planning and social conditions that suggest a need for it. In fact, only the first hypothesis is supported by our data. Correlation and path analysis indicate that only agency professionalism affects planning outputs. Tentative explanations for this result are offered, and specific subjects for additional macro analysis of planning are discussed.

The Goals of the Urban Observatories

men are finding that cooperation has indeed developed helpful new avenues for mutually beneficial endeavor. Several directors have mentioned the need for demand-for-service research which could fill a longstanding urban information need. Other directors have found they can most profitably engage in an academic-practitioner dialogue in which urban needs can be related to resources. One dramatic by-product urbanists allude to in discussions of the observatories is the growing importance of research in the processes of policy and decision-making. Up until recently the research capabilities of the urban universities had been considered relatively unimportant to the city hall administrator. The same had been the case with research utilization in political processes. However, effective urban research methodology seems to be closing the chasm existing between pure research at the university and the traditional political hunch in the realm of urban policy. Solid urban research is now becoming more and more appropriate to the decisions of municipal officials. Certainly it provides an important check function. Academicians in turn are showing more interest in researching problems on which action is necessary even those of short term

Reapportionment and Urban Representation in Legislative Influence Positions: The Case of Georgia

B Georgia is one state in which reapportionment might be expected to have a real impact. Georgia’s court-ordered reapportionment was hailed by its supporters as the beginning of the end of rural domination of the General Assembly. They argued that rapid urbanization and reapportionment would combine to produce an urban-run Legislature and, eventually, more urban-directed policies. Others suggested, however, that reapportionment would not change the operation and decisions of the Georgia Legislature be-

The role of professional associations in technology transfer

This study analyzes the role of public service professional associations or professional interest groups (PIGs) in municipal government technology transfer. The purpose of the study is to examine the role of professional associations in technology transfer and to suggest a number of policy recommendations to assist these associations and the federal government in promoting innovations as potential solutions to local government problems.