The Impact of Employment Expansion on Rural Community Service Expenditures: A Small Area Model

Abstract

Considerable attention has been devoted to understanding factors that influence public service expenditures in rural communities. Much public service research has been focused on the question of whether economies of population size exist for public service delivery systems, and, if so, what are the optimum size delivery systems. Of particular concern to communities is the impact of economic growth on provision of public services. Community leaders need to know how to plan for provision of these services when facing changing economic conditions. They must be able to evaluate whether or not economic growth, especially rural industrialization, should be followed as a strategy for enhancing both quality and quantity of these services.