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The Effect of Limiting Participation in Special District Elections to Property Owners: A Research Note
Author(s) -
BAUROTH NICHOLAS
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
public budgeting and finance
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.694
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1540-5850
pISSN - 0275-1100
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-5850.2007.00883.x
Subject(s) - statute , property (philosophy) , limiting , revenue , census , supreme court , state (computer science) , state supreme court , service (business) , business , law and economics , economics , public economics , law , public administration , political science , finance , sociology , marketing , mechanical engineering , population , philosophy , demography , epistemology , algorithm , computer science , engineering
Scholars have found significant policy differences between special districts governed by elected officials and those overseen by appointees. However, their research ignores U.S. Supreme Court rulings that allow many special districts to restrict electoral participation to property owners. This study finds that the presence of officials elected by property owners upon a district's governing board is related to a reduced reliance upon property taxes for revenues and a greater reliance upon service charges. Using Census data sets and a review of state statutes, the study demonstrates that board elections can be an effective means for property owners to influence policy.