PUAD 610

Intergovernmental Relations.

Instructor: Dr. J.E.D. Riggs

Office Hours: One-Half hour before class and by appointment.

O'Toole, L.J. American Intergovernmental Relations.

Course Description:

Since the turn of the century, the relationship between the federal and state Governments has undergone a revolutionary change. What were once thought of as fixed relationships with fixed responsibilities has eroded away.

In this course we will examine this paradox by focusing on the roots of intergovernmental relations: taxing and budgeting, regulation, policy formation, Intergovernmental aid; and the problems of overlapping constituencies.

 Course Objectives:

1. The nature of "old" and "new" federalism.
2. The nightmare of state and local funding.
3. The nature and success of 50 state "Laboratories"
4. The process of Intergovernmental Budgeting.
5. The legal environment of IGR.

 Reading Assignments:

Weekend 1. Peterson, 1 - 3/ O'Toole, readings 1 - 4.

Weekend 2. Peterson, 4, 6/ O'Toole 9, 11, 27, 31.

Weekend 3. Peterson 7/ O'Toole 24 - 26.

Weekend 4. No Readings.

 Course Policies:

There will be a mid-term and a final exam. The mid-term will fall on the Sunday afternoon of the second weekend, and will consist of all readings and lectures to date. The final will fall on the Sunday of weekend four, and will consist of all readings and lectures from the mid-term. Each exam will constitute one-third of your total grade. The other third will be derived from the student's IGR Theme Paper.

Every student will be required to submit a theme paper of no less than 20 pages, investigating a modern trend in Intergovernmental Relations. No two students will be allowed to write on the same topic; so, if you have one - contact me quickly to claim it.

Depending on class size, each student will be required to give 10-15 minute class briefing on his/her topic. This briefing will be worth 15% of the paper's grade.

By the second weekend, I expect each student to give me a topic sheet that informs me of the topic to be researched, as well as a sample citation of the literature to be used. The paper must be in my hands by the Sunday of weekend four. Failure to do so will result in an automatic 25% reduction in the paper's grade.

More about this paper on the first class session.