J. Dean Jansma

Impact of Public Land Programs on Local Government Finances

Public land ownership is often assumed to adversely affect the fiscal capacity of local governments through removal of part of the property tax base. A method employing multiple regression analysis was developed to test this hypothesis in a forested region of Pennsylvania. Neither higher tax rates on private land nor reduced levels of per capita local government expenditures were found to be associated with large amounts of public land, thereby indicating that local governments are not placed at an economic disadvantage by public land programs. Extended use of this analytical technique could result in better public policy decisions on resource use.

Economies Of Size Among Municipal Water Authorities In Pennsylvania

Water utilities are being subjected to progressively greater economic pressures. The demand for water is increasing, due to both a growing number of customers and rising per capita consumption. Consequently, many utilities are faced with declining reserves of water, necessitating additional investment to develop sources of supply. Frequently, new or enlarged facilities to treat, store and distribute the larger volume of water are required. Public policies, also, are promoting the extension or development of public water systems to serve sparsely populated suburban communities, small towns, and rural areas. All these changes affecting the demand for water, combined with rising construction costs, are causing water utility costs to skyrocket.