Fiscal challenges: an interdisciplinary approach to budget policy

Abstract

Preface Part I. The Law and Politics of Fiscal Policy: Introduction 1. The Congressional budget process William Dauster 2. Budget gimmicks Cheryl Block 3. Transparency in the US budget process Elizabeth Garrett and Adrian Vermeule 4. European experiences with fiscal rules and institutions Jurgen von Hagen Part II. Understanding Federal Deficits and Public Debt: Introduction 5. Perspectives on federal deficits and debt Michael Boskin 6. Counting the ways: the structure of federal spending Howell Jackson 7. Starving the beast: the psychology of budget deficits Jonathan Baron and Edward McCaffery Part III. Budgeting and Fiscal Constraints at the State Level: Introduction 8. Budgetary arrangements in the 50 states: in search of model practices Juliet Musso, Elizabeth Graddy and Jennifer Grizard 9. The calculus of constraint: a critical review of state fiscal institutions Tracy Gordon 10. When does the ballot box limit the budget? Politics and spending limits in California, Colorado, Utah, and Washington Thad Kousser, Matthew McCubbins and Kaj Rozga Part IV. Intergovernmental Aspects of Budget Policy: Introduction 11. Dysfunctional or optimal institutions? State debt limitations, the structure of state and local governments, and the finance of American infrastructure Barry Weingast and John Wallis 12. Federal-state budgetary interactions David Super Part V. Judicial Powers and Budget Policy: Introduction 13. New property, entrenchment, and the fiscal constitution John Harrison 14. Courts, constitutions, and public finance: some recent experiences from the States Richard Briffault.