Read more
Public authorities are an increasingly important form of government in the United States. Every year, various public policies are entrusted to public authorities for implementation in the manner of a private firm but for the public interest. This edited collection presents an in-depth examination of the theory and practice of public authority administration and the current issues confronting public authorities in general. Cases are provided to invite discussion about the uses of authorities in different policy areas.
The book begins with an introduction that reviews the premises that underlie the public authority concept and describes the policy activities and administrative organization of authorities. The first section of the book focuses on the external and internal techniques used to hold authorities accountable. The second section describes various financial issues relevant to authorities, highlighting ways to improve the security of bonds and providing cases showing how corporate subsidiaries are used to finance projects. The third section explores innovative uses of authorities in the areas of economic development, low-income housing creation, social problem-solving, and hazardous waste disposal. The final section considers the impact of public authorities, using economic impact analysis to measure quantitative benefits of one specific authority and probing the problems in evaluating performance in one state. The book concludes with a selected bibliography and a name and subject index. The book is a useful resource for courses in public administration, public policy, management, state and local government, urban planning, public finance, and political science.
List of contents
Policy Functions and Issues for Public Authorities by Jerry Mitchell
AccountabilityExpertise, Democracy, and the Public Authority Model: Groping toward Accommodation by Jameson W. Doig and Jerry Mitchell
External Controls on Public Authorities and Other Special Purpose Governments by James Leigland
The Influence of Labor Unions on Public Authorities in New York State: Problems and Prospects by Joel M. Douglas
Financial IssuesPublic Authorities and Contemporary Debt Financing by Jerry Mitchell and Gerald J. Miller
The Changing Role of Funding in Authority Policy Implementation by Robert G. Smith
Innovative UsesEconomic Development, Political Conflict, and the Creation of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority by Dennis C. Muniak
Housing New York: The Creation and Development of the Battery Park City Authority by William B. Eimicke
Public Authorities and Social Problems: The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Addresses the Homeless Problem in Its Facilities by Deborah Wathen Finn
Public Authorities as Agents of the Not-So-Quiet Revolution in Hazardous Waste Facility Siting by Michael K. Heiman
ImpactsEconomic Benefits of Public Authorities: An Impact Analysis of Florida's Port Canaveral by Bradley M. Braun
Performance Issues for Public Authorities in Georgia by Donald T. Wells and Richard Scheff
Selected Bibliography
Index
About the author
JERRY MITCHELL is Assistant Professor of Public Administration at Baruch College, City University of New York. His research has appeared in various academic journals, including the Public Administration Review, Policy Studies Journal, and State and Local Government Review.
