A few years ago, during the heyday of the urban crisis, the role of the state in urban affairs was a hot subject for debate. After years of being ignored, state government, the invisible partner in the federal system, ...

On July 1, 1971, for the first time home rule became an option available to Illinois municipalities and counties. The extent and ways in which home rule has been used were among the topics studied by staff members of ...

Illinois is situated both geographically and in production at the crosscurrents of the national economy. Virtually all U.S. industries have one or more firms with productive facilities in Illinois, resulting in a diverse ...

As they become increasingly apparent, ditferences among local governments in levels of expenditure are beginning to be a prominent policy concern. To the extent that expenditure levels reflect policy commitments and/or ...

In recent years the deteriorating condition of local roads and bridges, pointed up by bridge failures causing deaths and many injuries, has become a concern in Illinois and many other states. Serious as this problem is, ...