Devolution and State Autonomy Questions

 

Question one

The American national government's ability to reach its annual goals significantly depends on states' and local governments' participation. Thus, through intergovernmental grants, the national government can offer financial support to states for them to work towards national goals. It is crucial to note that federal cash grants come with a catch. The national government is only interested in seeing effective use of pubic funds for policy actions that advance national goals. Categorical grants aim at limiting the local states' discretion in public funds use and force them to a strict administrative criterion that guides project allocation, performance, and financial oversight. The food stamp program and Medicaid are excellent examples of categorical grants. Unlike categorical grants, block grants have less strict federal administrative requirements and allow states flexibility in spending grant funds. Workforce Investment Act is an excellent example of a block grant. The act provides state agencies with funds to help youths acquire competitive skills that will lead them to better-paying jobs. The Surface Transportation Program is also a block grant that helps local states improve and maintain tunnels, highways, sidewalks, bridges, and bicycle lanes. Notably, block grants are criticized since they lack mechanisms to hold local administrators accountable for their actions. However, block grants are highly considered due to their cost-cutting impacts on states' development (Lumen, 2021).

Question two

Hauss (2017) defines devolution as power transfer from a central government to a state, regional, or local authority. Devolution does not only occur through a change in a country's constitution but also through conventional statutes. It is crucial to acknowledge that unitary systems with devolved powers are not federal systems since their abilities can be withdrawn at any time by the national government. Devolution allows states to create their welfare reforms by initiating variants on the work-first strategy focusing on work-related activities to move people off public assistance. Besides, local state governments have continuously embraced creating employment opportunities quickly to reduce poverty stretch among communities. Notably, regional states with reformed welfare under federal waivers experience increased work participation rates. Further, the states can also use their granted flexibility to create new ways to deliver public services. Local states have expanded their services, especially in work supports like child care and transportation networks, while significantly cutting costs on cash assistance (Nathan & Gais, 2001). For instance, the median state in 1999 spent about fifty-five percent of the local welfare budget under cash assistance (Nathan & Gais, 2001). With a devolved power, states can concentrate on what they are good at economically to open more job opportunities and improve public service institutions such as healthcare and education.

Question three

Devolution is not the same as unfunded mandates. Money plays a critical role in the relationship between the federal government and local states. Further, to ensure that local authorities adhere to national policies, Congress stipulates how grants should be used in different sectors. Since the Second World War, American states have been relying on federal money to complete specific projects. Fiscal Federalism is a system adopted by the national government to force states to administer federal policies. Often, the national government uses grants to fund local states' activities. Notably, the money is also granted for a particular purpose, as suggested by state authorities or general-purpose if it is a block grant. Devolution was introduced to ensure local states appropriately manage public funds. Thus, funding was necessary to ensure operations run efficiently nationwide. Mandates refer to federal government orders that require regional governments to do certain things like following environmental regulations or housing restrictions (Sparknotes, 2021). A demand by the national government that is not funded is referred to as an unfunded mandate. An excellent example of an unfunded mandate is where the federal government has ordered states to uphold the Americans with Disabilities Act without funding for creating structures accessible to disabled people. Therefore, devolution is not the same as unfunded mandates. Besides, unfunded mandates are part of devolution that also includes grants.

Question four

Alberta Sbragia's statement on local governments' structure evolution dates to the original devolution plan, administrative decentralization. Administrative decentralization aims to redistribute authority, financial resources, and responsibility to provide public service within different government levels. This is the transfer of power from the central government to local states or authorities. There are three primary administrative decentralization forms: deconcentration, delegation, and deviation. Deconcentration is the weakest form and is mainly applied in unitary states. It delegates management and financial authority to different central government levels. Delegation allows central governments to transfer decision-making responsibility and public function administration to fully controlled organizations by the central government. The third administrative decentralization type is devolution. This is the one Alberta Sbragia emphasizes in his quote. Devolution involves the transfer of power from the central government to local states with corporate status. Devolved states are allowed to elect their officials, raise revenues and make independent investment decisions. Despite having exclusive rights on their geographical boundaries, local governments are in constant conflict with the central government. Sbragia tries to expose intergovernmental disputes causes by blaming the Judicial arm of the government. What citizens don't know is that these battles are between individuals thirsting for wealth and power.

Question five

Coercive Federalism refers to a federalism period that started in the 1960s in America (Center for the study of Federalism, 2021). The period was characterized by a significant power growth of the central government to the states. Further, the central government was able to override regional powers and impose regulations on the states. The term also defines the federal government's dominance in federal-state relations, such as policymaking. Coercive Federalism has significant characteristics that may affect locally administered programs. One is the unprecedented increase in policy conditions to grants. Grants-in-aid are crucial in ensuring community-related projects are completed in time. However, with coercive Federalism, such projects are compromised due to the lack of funds. Also, increased policy restrictions may scare away local investors in community-sustaining programs. Another coercive federalism characteristic is the issuance of mandates. Specific unfunded mandates from the federal government may affect the progress of an ongoing project. This is because the local state is obliged by law to divert local funds to finance and uphold the new mandate requested by the federal government. The third characteristic of coercive Federalism is increased constraints on taxation and borrowing. For instance, a local state program may be slowed down if the federal government requires the state government not to tax certain services.

Dimension Essay Outline (Do not include this heading on your paper)

 

 

 

 

Systems: Public Economics

 

 

Introduction

 

What is the purpose of this essay? For example, the purpose of this essay is to describe how I used the concept of economic efficiency to analyze the organization’s __________ policy, process, or practice. Or the purpose is to explain how the concept of moral hazard can be used to understand (or applied to) the attempt of my organization (substitute the name of your organization) to help its clients.

 

You may have an economic concept that is more useful.

 

Description of Economic Efficiency (or moral hazard or the concept you identified above)

 

The reader needs to know what economic efficiency (or moral hazard or another concept) is.

 

You should cite a source or sources and include supporting quotations and references.

 

Explanation of the Use of Economic Efficiency (or moral hazard or your concept)

 

You might say application of economic efficiency instead of use, if you think it is a better term.  

 

Conclusion

 

Provide a brief conclusion.