Both rural and urban municipal officials, faced with increased local resistance to higher taxes, increasing expenditure needs, weakening financial support from higher levels of government, and the growing pressure to "do more with less" have accelerated their search for alternative ways of...

A detailed assessment of employment trends in the public sector from 1979 to 2001 is provided. Particular attention is paid to the relative level of public sector employment is Wisconsin . The analysis also examines the relationship between the size of state and local government and overall...

This study focuses on the impacts state shared revenues has on local government finances. Specifically we examine what is referred to in the academic literature as the "flypaper effect." Using a simple model of local fiscal behavior Bradford and Oates (1971a, 1971b) predict that aids to local...

A web-based survey of fiscal health was administered to Wisconsin cities and villages during the spring of 2007. A total of 200 communities responded to the survey. Of those responding, 49 percent reported that their current revenue base is inadequate and more than 64 percent responded that...

Using a participatory research design structure we examine (1) historical trends, (2) economic clusters, and (3) the economic contribution of water dependent industries on Portage County, Wisconsin. A research team composed of nine members of the community along, with the authors of this study,...

Wisconsin county government officials are facing an almost perfect "fiscal storm." Since 1993, county governments have been operating under property tax rate restrictions and over the past few years levy limits as well--a primary source of locally generated revenues. The structural deficits...