Public Finance and Public Policy

This course deals with how governments tax and spend. Students become familiar with the theoretical, empirical, and practical tools and methods used to create and analyze government budgets, as well as the flow of public resources. The course examines public revenues and expenditures within the context of fiscal federalism, in addition to budgeting and resource management and the social, economic, and political forces that shape the fiscal environment within which governments (particularly state and local governments) operate. Significant attention is paid to tax policy analysis and the fiscal crises confronting many large cities and states. Additional special topics covered include health care & social security, public education finance, public finance and the environment, bond markets & municipal finance, and public pensions.