Product Description: The Context of Legislating provides a much-needed examination of how the rules, resources, and political conditions within and surrounding different institutions raise or lower the costs of legislating. Using data tracking over 1,100 legislators, 230 committees and 12,000 bills introduced in ten state lower chambers, Shannon Jenkins examines how political conditions and institutional rules and resources shape the arc of the legislative process by raising the costs of some types of legislative activity and lowering the costs of others...read more

The Sixth Edition of this best-selling text continues to provide the comprehensive and current coverage of institutions, political behavior, and policy-making at the state and local level. The strong policy orientation of the text, as well as its unifying theme of the increased capacity and responsibility of state and local governments have established this text as the standard for this course.Web resources in every chapter foster student interest in state and local politics and policy. An enhanced text-specific web site provides additional resources for instructors and students.

Product Description: Based on data from the most recent elections, this book examines state house races in four key states California, Texas, Michigan, and Virginia and creates simulations of campaign planning, strategizing, budgeting, fundraising, and winning in a variety of political contexts...read more

Product Description: State fiscal decisions have a significant impact on the US economy. Taken together, subnational governments employ more than one out of every eight workers and provide the bulk of all basic governmental services consumed by individuals and businesses...read more

The Essentials version of State and Local Government shares its thematic structure and approach with the bestselling full-length text of the same name, providing condensed yet comprehensive coverage of local government and public policy issues. The authors explain the structures of state and local government--including historical perspective--as well as the function of each in the current political scene. Through engaging coverage of current events and an accessible writing style, the text fosters student interest and involvement in state and local politics and policy. For instructors who prefer a more streamlined text or for those who teach one-semester courses, The Essentials features six fewer chapters than its full-length counterpart--and a limited focus on policy.

In this second edition of STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: INSTITUTIONS AND REFORM, Donovan, Mooney, and Smith go beyond the purely descriptive treatment usually found in state and local texts. First, the book offers an engaging comparative approach, showing students how politics and government differ between states and communities, and pointing out the causes and effects of those variations. Second, it focuses on what social scientists know about the effects of rules and institutions on politics and policy. This comparative, institutional framework enables students to think more analytically about the impact of institutions on policy outcomes, asks them to evaluate the effectiveness of one institutional approach over another, and encourages them to consider more sophisticated solutions. STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: INSTITUTIONS AND REFORM is the only text of its kind to dedicate three full chapters to direct democracy, land use policy, and morality politics. Throughout the text, boxed features elaborate on the themes of institutions, comparison, and reform, providing thought-provoking, concrete examples of the issues at state and local levels so that students can understand how institutions and systems effect individuals. New "You Decide" boxes and Discussion Questions at the end of each chapter ask students to apply critical thinking to the subject at hand. In addition, vivid tables, maps, graphs, and photographs provide the visual tools that students need to process detailed comparative data about the states. Written by three young, high-profile specialists who have contributed significantly to the field in the last decade, STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: INSTITUTIONS AND REFORM, Second Edition, incorporates into the course the most recent scholarship available, giving students access to perspectives that no other textbook on the market currently provides.

Product Description: No previous book has pulled together into one place a single, comprehensive volume that provides up-to-date coverage of state government and politics, along with the states' current and future public policies. This new book does just that, offering students, scholars, citizens, policy advocates, and state specialists accessible information on state politics and policy in 34 topical chapters written by experts in the field...read more

A comprehensive collection of essays which analyses the 50 American states. Twenty authors provide coverage of key topics such as intergovernmental relations, elections and the legislative process, as well as the initiative process, education and taxes.

Product Description: ALERT: Before you purchase, check with your instructor or review your course syllabus to ensure that you select the correct ISBN. Several versions of Pearson's MyLab & Mastering products exist for each title, including customized versions for individual schools, and registrations are not transferable...read more

Product Description: State tax systems are in trouble. Revenue collecting methods developed more than a half-century ago are straining to deal with 21st century economies. Globalization and e-commerce are changing how people work and shop, devolution has shifted responsibility from the federal government to the states, and tax incentives have become the weapon of choice in the battle for business...read more

In STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: Institutions & Reform: THE ESSENTIALS--a concise version of their acclaimed new text--Donovan, Mooney, and Smith intrigue students by going beyond the purely descriptive treatment usually found in state and local texts. STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: THE ESSENTIALS offers an engaging comparative approach, showing students how politics and government differ between states and communities, as well as the causes and effects of those variations, all within a manageable 10 chapters. An abbreviated, cost-effective text, STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: THE ESSENTIALS covers the core concepts that students need for a solid understanding of state and local government. Written by three young, high-profile specialists who have contributed significantly to the field in the last decade, STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS: THE ESSENTIALS incorporates the most recent scholarship available, giving students access to perspectives that no other textbook on the market currently provides. In addition, the text goes above and beyond the traditional approach by focusing on what social scientists know about the effects of rules and institutions on politics and policy. This comparative, institutional framework enables students to think more analytically about the impact of institutions on policy outcomes, asks them to evaluate the effectiveness of one institutional approach over another, and encourages them to consider more sophisticated solutions.

Product Description: With the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States at an all-time high and Congressional immigration reform seemingly at a standstill, cities and states across the nation have leapt into the fray, creating a wide range of policies—some more controversial than others—to address illegal immigration within their jurisdictions...read more

MySearchLab provides students with a complete understanding of the research process so they can complete research projects confidently and efficiently. Students and instructors with an internet connection can visit www.MySearchLab.com and receive immediate access to thousands of full articles from the EBSCO ContentSelect database. In addition, MySearchLab offers extensive content on the research process itself–including tips on how to navigate and maximize time in the campus library, a step-by-step guide on writing a research paper, and instructions on how to finish an academic assignment with endnotes and bibliography.­   This up-to-date, highly-readable text for the state and local politics course focuses on twin perspectives: the political economy of state and local politics and the impact of political reformism on states and communities.   This book explores the dynamics of state and community politics, the methods citizens use to influence public officials, the major issues facing states and localities, and how the institutions of state and local government have changed over the years.

This version of the top-selling State and Local Government retains the unique thematic and historical approach of the comprehensive text in a condensed format. Essentials provides explanations of the structure of state and local government, as well as their functions in the current political scene. Descriptions of public policy appear at relevant points throughout the text and are integrated into discussions to help foster student interest and involvement in state and local politics and policy.A brief and cost-effective alternative, Essentials can be used in conjunction with outside readings or with an American government survey.Coverage includes state and 2004 election results.Chapter 2, "Federalism and the States," includes a discussion of the Bush administration's approach to federalism, a strengthened and updated discussion of tribal governments, and a consideration of the challenges homeland security poses to the states.Up-to-date topics include challenges states face as they deal with budget shortfalls and federal mandates, women in state and local politics, and the impact technology has on state and local government and citizen participation.Web resources in every chapter offer students the latest information on using the Internet to research state and local governments.

Product Description: The book's theme of increased capacity and responsiveness of state and local government conveys excitement about politics at the grassroots level and is pro public service.