The Politics of City Revenue

The Politics of City Revenue explores local government finance in Oakland, California, during a time of fiscal constraint and political challenge, offering insights into revenue generation, budget management, and political decision-making. It highlights the collaborative efforts behind urban governance research and provides valuable lessons for policymakers, urban planners, and scholars.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 318 pages
Publication date: 13 May 2022
Publisher: University of California Press

The Politics of City Revenue: A Case Study of Oakland, California, during Fiscal Constraint and Political Challenge is a comprehensive exploration of local government finance, focusing on the city of Oakland, California, during a period of fiscal constraint and political challenge. Written by Thomas M. Stanback, Jr., the book draws from his firsthand experiences as a participant-observer in Oakland's city management during the late 1960s. Initially intending to apply program-budgeting techniques, Stanback quickly realized that the city's central problem was not the allocation of resources but the critical issue of revenue generation. This realization led him to broaden his study into a broader analysis of how local governments navigate fiscal challenges and political environments perceived as hostile. The book examines how city officials engage in revenue generation, manage tight budgets, and respond to competing priorities in urban governance. Through a combination of theoretical insights and practical observations, Stanback provides a nuanced look at the interplay between economic constraints and political decision-making. The text also highlights the collaborative efforts behind urban governance research, with Stanback drawing upon the expertise of colleagues, city officials, and external funding sources, including NASA and the Urban Institute. This foundational work sheds light on the complexities of municipal finance and offers valuable lessons for policymakers, urban planners, and scholars navigating the fiscal realities of modern city administration. The Politics of City Revenue is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates the University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible to a wide audience.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 203 x 133 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780520308152