Takeovers of Local Governments: An Overview and Evaluation of State Policies

This article examines state interventions, sometimes amounting to nearly total takeovers, into the affairs of financially distressed localities and “academically bankrupt” school districts. Drawing on several examples, this study suggests that state legislators and administrators have been cautious...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Publius 1995-07, Vol.25 (3), p.55-70
Main Author: Berman, David R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Bankruptcy
Cities
Educational administration
Evaluation
Federal intervention
Federal-city relations
Federalism
Financial management
Government intervention
Government policy
Intergovernmental relations
Intervention
Intervention (Federal government)
Laws, regulations and rules
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Mayors
Public Policy
Receivership
RELATIONS BETWEEN OR AMONG BRANCHES OR DEPARTMENTS OF THE SAME GOVERNMENT
SCHOOL BOARDS
School districts
School personnel
Schools
STATE GOVERNMENT
State intervention
U.S.A
United States
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Description
Summary:This article examines state interventions, sometimes amounting to nearly total takeovers, into the affairs of financially distressed localities and “academically bankrupt” school districts. Drawing on several examples, this study suggests that state legislators and administrators have been cautious about intervening in the affairs of specific local governments. However, the decisions made by state officials on how to approach intervention, particularly whether to be reactive or proactive, and the assumptions they make about the nature of the problems to be remedied, help determine whether takeover is friendly or hostile and its effectiveness.
ISSN:0048-5950
1747-7107
DOI:10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubjof.a038211