Policy makers may view the local sales tax as an attractive alternative to the property tax. However, if sales tax revenues are awarded to the jurisdiction where the sale occurs, local budgets are tied to the fortunes of the retail sector. In California, use of the property tax has been greatly...

The dominant explanation for city policy choices over the past two decades has been the city limits story. This scenario represents the application of public choice theory to local policy making. Theorists argue that rational self-interest by cities compels local elected officials to favor...

This article examines recent changes in toxic waste policy in the United States. It argues that major deviations from the framework established by the Comprehensive Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) have occurred. Examples include a shifting of program authority to the...

This review article examines the growing literature on the changing employment practices of small and medium-sized manufacturers. Specifically, the authors examine the literature in three areas: (a) hiring practices, (b) employment security and retention, and (c) career ladders. Observers...

State and local governments increasingly look to entrepreneurship as a means of stimulating economic growth. However, can the public sector play a role in promoting entrepreneurial activity—and if so, what should that role be? The authors investigate independent effects of financial and...

Although enterprise zones have been a popular economic development tool for several years, there is still a lack of evidence on both zone effectiveness and how to improve existing zone programs. This article discusses several evaluation criteria that should be given more attention. First, the...

A recent U.S. Census survey indicates that two Illinois manufacturing extension centers affiliated with the national Manufacturing Extension Partnership have improved the performance of small Illinois firms and the Illinois state economy. During a 2-year period, the centers directly helped...

Microcredit has gained increasing attention over the past decade as a tool for spurring grassroots entrepreneurship in the United States. Although some prominent microcredit programs have reportedly demonstrated positive economic effects on microloan recipients, many others have suffered from...

In this article, the author analyzes the substance of state-level economic development programs and distills their essential attributes to create measures that distinguish locational from entrepreneurial economic development strategies. After assessing the validity and reliability of the...