Abstract
The widely recognized shortcomings of many of the Great Society programs, pressure by state and local officials for more autonomy, and the political philosophy of the Nixon administration combined to bring about dramatic reforms in social policy delivery in the United States during the 1970s. Those changes, dubbed the New Federalism, came about through federally-funded programs that, in contrast to previous categorical programs, were implemented by elected officials in states, counties, and cities.' The policy statements and actions of President Carter and the Democratic Congress indicate that with some modifications national policy makers remain committed to the central feature of the New Federalism: the decentralization of power to local implementors after broad national goals have been established. This article examines the implementation of three legislative components of the New Federalism in order to determine the broad patterns of benefit distribution and governance resulting from it. The laws that will be considered in this brief overview are the State and Local Assistance Act or General Revenue Sharing, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), and the Housing and Community Development Act, which is typically called Community Development Block Grants or CDBG. Together they furnish nearly one-third of all federal aid to state and local governments.
Published Version
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