Despite reports of the recession nearing an end, states will have to struggle to make ends meet well into the foreseeable future. The choices are sometimes stark: trade-offs between roads and schools, public safety and health care. The new edition of Governing States and Localities responds to this reality with a new, sharper focus on economic and budget pressures. The chapter on finances comes earlier in the book, helping to frame each of the subsequent issues, and a new feature called “States under Stress” helps students see how fiscal and budgetary policy affects all areas of state and local governance.

A brand-new chapter on the environment highlights the leadership role the states have taken in fighting climate change, creating green jobs, and combating pollution. Still a great blend of engaging journalistic writing, high-quality academic analysis, and the latest scholarship, the third edition has been thoroughly updated to account for such major developments as the recentralization of federalism under the Obama administration and the further politicization and rising costs of judicial elections. The authors have expanded coverage of referendums and direct democracy, as well as the increased role states play in homeland security.

A series of well-designed features asks students to apply the comparative method (“A Difference that Makes a Difference”), to see how intergovernmental relations impact localities (“Local Focus”), and to see examples of how policies are actually implemented (“Policy in Practice”). An engaging full-color design, more than thirty maps, a vivid selection of photographs, updated tables and figures, and a marginal glossary all combine to keep your students focused and learning.

Despite reports of the recession nearing an end, states will have to struggle to make ends meet well into the foreseeable future. The choices are sometimes stark: trade-offs between roads and schools, public safety and health care. The new edition of Governing States and Localities responds to this reality with a new, sharper focus on economic and budget pressures. The chapter on finances comes earlier in the book, helping to frame each of the subsequent issues, and a new feature called “States under Stress” helps students see how fiscal and budgetary policy affects all areas of state and local governance.

A brand-new chapter on the environment highlights the leadership role the states have taken in fighting climate change, creating green jobs, and combating pollution. Still a great blend of engaging journalistic writing, high-quality academic analysis, and the latest scholarship, the third edition has been thoroughly updated to account for such major developments as the recentralization of federalism under the Obama administration and the further politicization and rising costs of judicial elections. The authors have expanded coverage of referendums and direct democracy, as well as the increased role states play in homeland security.

A series of well-designed features asks students to apply the comparative method (“A Difference that Makes a Difference”), to see how intergovernmental relations impact localities (“Local Focus”), and to see examples of how policies are actually implemented (“Policy in Practice”). An engaging full-color design, more than thirty maps, a vivid selection of photographs, updated tables and figures, and a marginal glossary all combine to keep your students focused and learning.

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1. Introduction: They Tax Dogs in West Virginia, Don’t They?

2. Federalism: The Power Plan

3. Constitutions: Operating Instructions

4. Finances: Filling the Till and Paying the Bills

5. Political Attitudes and Participation: Venting and Voting

6. Parties and Interest Groups: Elephants, Donkeys, and Cash Cows

7. Legislatures: The Art of Herding Cats

8. Governors and Executives: There Is No Such Thing as Absolute Power

9. Courts: Turning Law into Politics

10. Bureaucracy: What Nobody Wants but Everybody Needs

11. Local Government: Function Follows Form

12. Metropolitics: The Hole Government Problem

13. Education: Reading, Writing, and Regulation

14. Crime and Punishment

15. Health and Welfare Policy: State, Heal Thyself!

16. The Environment: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

Governing States and Localities is a well-organized and current text for State and Local Politics courses. Most importantly, the authors have found a way to organize a broad range of topical areas. For my purposes, the chapters on Federalism, Finance, Local Government, and Metropolitics have made this a very servicable text. The new chapter on Environmental Policy is a welcome addition to a text that is comprehensive without being overbearing. The writing is crisp and lucid and its overall appearance and graphics are fresh. Student response has been very positive.

I love Governing States and Localities. Students find it easy to follow and understand. The book’s strengths are in its organization, use of tables and graphs to illustrate key points and highlight sections (i.e. “Policy in Practice”). The online resources are great and very helpful to students. I looked at several textbooks before I chose this one and this was by far the best textbook on state and local politics. This really is a terrific book.

Governing States and Localities seems to be more entertaining than competing texts. In other words, it keeps the student’s attention with a more illustrative style. The real world examples and stories throughout the book are very good. Introductory questions at the beginning of each chapter are more effective than closing each chapter with questions because they lead the student to think about them while reading. The balance between description, example, and analysis is very good. This is a solid textbook.

Governing States and Localities covers the major points and issues for my course and does so in a manner my students find readable. I like the feature boxes and the color terms in the margins. The subtitles to the chapters are often humorous and get the reader’s attention. I teach this class often as a distance-learning class and have the students use the online flashcards and crosswords for terms that they need to learn. I use the test bank for tests and quizzes, and find much of this essential to my course. I have used this book since its first edition, and plan on keeping it. It is the third state and local book I have used, and it is the best of the bunch.

Kevin B. Smith is professor of political science at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He is the author of The Public Policy Theory Primer and numerous scholarly articles on state politics and policy, and is the long-time editor of CQ Press’s annual State and Local Government reader. He is also a former associate editor of State Politics & Policy Quarterly. Prior to becoming an academic, he covered state and local politics as a newspaper reporter.

Alan Greenblatt has been writing about politics and government in Washington and the states for nearly two decades. As a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, he won the National Press Club’s Sandy Hume award for political journalism. While on staff at Governing magazine, he covered many issues of concern to state and local governments, such as budgets,taxes, and higher education. Along the way, he has written about politics and culture for numerous other outlets, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and NPR.org.

Michele Mariani Vaughn is a project manager for the Pew Center on the States, a division of The Pew Charitable Trusts, where her research focuses on issues related to states’ fiscal health, economic competitiveness, and government performance. Prior to joining Pew, she was a reporter and editor for magazines,including Governing, where she was nominated for a National Magazine Award.

A companion student website includes a wealth of review and study aids. 

 http://www.cqpress.com/cs/govstateandlocal/

• Chapter summaries with review questions
• Quiz questions • Interactive flashcards
• Annotated web links

Quality instructor’s resources are available free to adopters.
Register and download!
http://college.cqpress.com/instructors-resources/governing/
• Test Bank—700 true/false, multiple-choice, fill-inthe- blank, and short essay questions. Available with Respondus test generation software.
• PowerPoint—250 lecture slides.
• Instructor’s Manual—chapter summaries, lecture outlines, talking points for discussions and lectures, and sample syllabi.
• Electronic graphics—every table, figure, and map from the book available in PowerPoint and PDF.

Governing States and Localities, 3rd Edition + Electronic Edition
Smith, Greenblatt, Vaughn
978-1-4522-0283-9, $109

Governing States and Localities, 3rd Edition + State and Local Government, 2012-2013 Edition
Smith, Greenblatt, Vaughn
978-1-4522-6805-7, $114