Does Decentralized Welfare Reform Lead to a Race to the Bottom in Local Economic Development and Local Public Services?

This paper tests the hypothesis that devolution of welfare programs leads to heightened intergovernmental competition and a "race to the bottom" in the provision of local public services. Data from a national survey of county governments is used to estimate an econometric model of strategic interaction by county governments.Community/Rural/Urban Development,

Does Decentralized Welfare Reform Lead to a Race to the Bottom in Local Economic Development and Local Public Services?

This paper tests the hypothesis that devolution of welfare programs leads to heightened intergovernmental competition and a "race to the bottom" in the provision of local public services. Data from a national survey of county governments is used to estimate an econometric model of strategic interaction by county governments