Since 1989, citizen-generated ballot initiatives have appeared in several states. Common to several of these initiatives have been questions dealing with the funding of elementary, secondary, and higher education. The focus of these initiatives has shifted to how much the public is willing to pay for education. This project examines the causes…

By the late 1980s, 28 states in the United States had instituted lotteries as a supplemental means of financing public education. This paper presents findings of a study that examined the claim that state lotteries enhance spending for public education. Regression analysis, conducted on data for the year 1987, compared lottery and nonlottery…

Fiscal stress has plagued state and local governments in the first part of the 1990s, and difficulties in balancing budgets and obtaining revenue for needed public services are likely to continue. This document examines the leading alternatives for increasing state and local tax revenue, pointing out that the best options vary from state to state.…

This paper presents findings of a study that examined the effect of a Pennsylvania subsidy formula on expenditures per pupil in the state's public school districts. The Equalized Subsidy for Basic Education (ESBE) was adopted in 1983 as a system to equalize resources among school districts. Out of 500 operating Pennsylvania school districts, 25…

State legislation that has contributed to the reduction of Arkansas' tax base is described in this paper. Amendment 59, adopted in 1980, has reduced the state tax base by millions of dollars. At the end of 1992, the majority of school districts have equalized their real, personal, and carrier and utility property. Act 34, the current foundation…

Instead of adopting an entirely new school finance system to replace an inequitable system threatened by lawsuits, the Arkansas legislature has chosen to repair Act 34 of 1983. Two major changes enacted in 1993 (recalculation of state aid for districts experiencing growth and a change in a district's real property charges when calculating state…

Montana's House Bill No. 28, an effort to equalize school funding among Montana public school districts, is described in this report. Included are: the study resolution; summary of committee recommendations; history of the school funding lawsuit and legislative reactions; explanations of elements of the new school funding mechanism, changes in…

This book provides Ohio citizens with information on school tax issues and levy campaigning. The material is presented in a structural step-by-step process that lends itself to the practical application for preparing a levy. This book is a guide to understanding various tax issues, tax reduction factors, and the changing tax duplicate that affects…

This study is the first of five studies assembled by the budget committee of the Iowa general assembly to provide information regarding the financing of education by state government. It analyzes general appropriations in the state of Iowa between 1960-76 and compares Iowa's appropriations with those of other states. The results indicate increased…

THE REPORT WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR SECTIONS--(1) THE PRODUCTION POSSIBILITY CURVE WAS USED TO DEMONSTRATE THE PROBLEM OF RESOURCE ALLOCATION BETWEEN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS, (2) STATE AND LOCAL REVENUES WERE EXAMINED IN TERMS OF FISCAL CAPACITY AND TAX EFFORT, AND (3) EXPENDITURES ON SELECTED FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT IN OKLAHOMA WERE…

The effort-ability index is a means of drawing together the two concepts of effort (reflected by revenue collections and per pupil expenditures) and ability (both to provide for nonschool expenditure functions and for school purposes) to provide a measure of a local government's need for state assistance. In constructing an effort-ability index…

This handbook is one in a series prepared for use at workshops designed to help teachers, administrators, and legislators understand and deal with the intricacies of school finance equalization plans in their states. Michigan's education finance plan is discussed in this particular book. Chapter 1 discusses how Michigan's plan undertakes its…

This handbook is one in a series prepared for use at workshops designed to help teachers, administrators, and legislators understand and deal with the intricacies of school finance equalization plans in their states. Pennsylvania's education finance plan is discussed in this particular book. Chapter 1 discusses state support for education in…

This handbook is one in a series prepared for use at workshops designed to help teachers, administrators, and legislators understand and deal with the intricacies of school finance equalization plans in their states. Rhode Island's education finance plan is discussed in this particular book. Chapter 1 discusses how Rhode Island's plan undertakes…

This study attempts to design a grant-in-aid scheme incorporating transfer of resources in a manner which compensates for differences in the ability of the subordinate government units to finance desirable service levels (equalization). Results indicate that where the bulk of State aid-to-education funds are distributed through flat grants based…