Use of Special Assessments by Municipal Governments in the Chicago Metropolitan Area: Is Leviathan Tamed?

Abstract

This study investigates whether the use of special assessments (SAs) by municipalities in the Chicago metropolitan area demonstrates Leviathan behavior. The first part of the study estimates a model of the effect of SA use on capital and operational spending in these governments from 1998 to 2012. The results show that governments do not use SAs to increase spending beyond what taxpayers desire as represented by the median voter hypothesis. The second part of the analysis conducts interviews and collects other qualitative data to inform the model and help explain the low use of SAs in the region. This investigation finds that governments are risk averse in using SAs, and many are strongly guided by precedent and the public's perception of SAs, which are not consistent with Leviathan behavior. Also, contrary to Leviathan assumptions, the data indicate that government officials often do not have enough knowledge of these tools or experience with them to use them in a Leviathan manner.