Formation of American Local Governments

"I wish I had known about this text before using my current one. It's excellent. Kudos to Nancy Burns--well done."--Donald Crumbley, Sr, Columbia College"[A] useful contribution to the urban politics literature...The presentation of the historical materials is novel and there is an interesting discussion of the effects of the 1965 Voting Rights Act on municipal incorporations. The book would be a useful text for an introductory course on local governmant..."--Journal of Regional Science"An outstanding piece of research!"--Eric Hozik, University of Nevada"Prof. Burns has obviously done her research--the bibliography is most impressive."--David Robinson, University of Houston"I've already used the book in manuscript form for the last two years in my graduate seminar on urban politics. It draws on a broad range of empirical evidence to make a significant theoretical contribution to our understanding of local government formation."--Gerald Gamm, University of Rochester"A very important study. Provides original insight about a major aspect of American urban politics that has been largely neglected by modern scholarship. The findings are interesting, the methodologies are appropriate and the theoretical implications are most stimulating. Will draw widespread attention from professionals, scholars, and students of local politics."--Paul Kantor, Fordham University"Burns's comprehensive review of the literature, creative use of case studies, and quantitative analysis combine to make a significant contribution to the field. Her work is important to the study of local government, political economy, and urban politics....Throughout, her scholarship is impressive. She has read widely and carefully, covering an awesome range of historical studies, case materials, and most of the relevant general and theoretical literature.Her use of these materials is often imaginative, particularly in the weaving together of the findings of a substantial number of case studies."--Michael N. Danielson, Woodrow Wilson School of Public andInternational Affairs, Princeton UniversityListed in Abstracts of Public Administration, Development and Environment

• 1: Private Values, Public Institutions Special Districts and Cities The Significance of Creating Governments The Consequences of Institutional Choices The Logic of Local Government Formation Conclusion Appendix Special Districts Municipalities 2: Particulars of Politics The Character of Evidence Special Districts Municipalities Conclusion 3: Making Sense of the History Early U. S. Formations The Nineteenth Century The Emergence of Services Redefining Cities Early Twentieth Century Districts More Established Entrepreneurs Cities and Racial Division Conclusion 4: Elements of Collective Action Complicating the Argument Measurement The Sample and the Model Conclusion Appendix: Measurement and the Model 5: Creating Local Politics Services and Taxes Race Municipalities The Legal Structures of Supply Small Groups, Entrepreneurs, and the Enabling of Collective Action 6: The Meaning of Limits Empirical Results Implications Appendix A: Coefficient Estimates and Robust Standard Errors Appendix B: The Sample Bibliography