State and Local Government Law

In the United States, states and local governments enjoy substantial law-making and regulatory authority; bear significant responsibility for the financing and provision of most domestic public goods and services; and are key sites for political participation. This course considers theories addressing the allocation of powers between upper and lower levels of government; the constitutional status of states and local governments; and the legal rules that structure their powers and obligations. Specific topics include: voting rights at the local level; local government formation and boundary change; state-local relations and local home rule; interlocal conflicts; school finance reform; regional governance; and state and local finance, including tax and debt limitations and municipal bankruptcy. The course will give particular attention to both federal and state constitutional issues, and to the interplay between legal rules and state and local policies