Intergovernmental Relations ADM 624
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Grand Canyon University *
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Feb 20, 2024
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Uploaded by sashahackshaw21
Intergovernmental Relations
Sasha Hackshaw
Grand Canyon University ADM 624-O500
10/4/2023
Introduction
Intergovernmental relations in America have been weakening over the years. These relations encompass the overall interaction between elected and non-elected leaders of the federal, state, and local leaders. These relations have suffered despicably after the collapse of the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. This commission was responsible for advising all the government levels on ways in which they can effectively relate. It provided ways
of implementing policies and ensuring cooperation on all levels of the government. Due to the weakening intergovernmental relations, Kincaid and Stenberg (2011) posed various questions to provoke discussion on intergovernmental relations of all these questions. I was intrigued by two questions, which I would like to analyze today and indicate whether the government has been able to address them since it was published. Also, I intend to distinguish how these questions are important and whether these questions were answered or need to be addressed by the government
since the article was published.
Should local governments have a more prominent seat at the intergovernmental table?
Intergovernmental relations have mainly been considered as a federal-state relationship. In this instance, Kincaid & Stenberg (2011) attempt to inquire whether the local governments should be included and given a much bigger role in intergovernmental relationships. According to ACIR, which collapsed in 1996, the local government is key to intergovernmental relationships. This is because intergovernmental relationships are primarily focused on ensuring that citizens' social welfare is upheld and improved in many ways. Therefore, local governments are not independent and need not have a role in the intergovernmental relations between the state
and the federal government. The government answered this question well because the federal government has excluded all the local governments from intergovernmental relations. According to Goelhauser & Rose (2017), the local governments are not autonomous units but are rather a creation of the state governments. Therefore, this inhibits their ability to negotiate effectively with the federal government. The states are sovereign and enjoy equal representation in intergovernmental relations because all states are equal. Goelhauser & Rose (2017) further states that a state is in place to ensure that it acts as an intermediary between the local governments and the federal governments. It is there to relay communication. This question is important in understanding the role that local governments have to play in intergovernmental relations. Intergovernmental relations are crucial for the proper implementation of policies in the locals. As local governments are closer to the people than any other government level, it is often understood that they should have a larger role to play in intergovernmental relations. However, this shouldn't be the case. The local governments have been defined as creatures of the state governments, and the state government is supposed to act as an intermediary with the federal government (Hamilton & Stenberg, 2018).
How can state and local governments be viable intergovernmental partners without greater
fiscal capacity and fiscal responsibility?
Fiscal capacity refers to a state's ability to extract revenue and carry out the physical function for the good of the public. On the other hand, financial responsibility involves placing specific duties on the state for them to extract revenue. There have been legislations banning
state taxation of internet services and the extension of the moratorium on the banning of mail-
order taxes. These have affected the fiscal capacity of states and local governments as some of them have had to shut down some activities and even used up their rainy-day funds. These states and local governments have a diminished source of income. This question seeks to understand whether states and local governments can be of any viable use to the federal government in policy implementation if they lack the financial capacity. According to Kim (2019), local governments have the power to collect revenue and taxes, but because of the state's pressure and the voters, they opt not to do so. This makes them keep offering services without revenue.
The federal government has not addressed this issue. The issue of how viable the local and state governments are of use to the government is critical. The government needs to ensure that they carry out an analysis of the areas where they need policies to be applied by the state and local governments. As states and local governments are the federal government's implementation mechanisms, it is paramount to ensure that the state and local governments. If the governments can assess the fiscal capacity and preparedness of these state and local governments, it will be shown how they are not viable if they lack fiscal capacity (Aldag
et al.,
2019).
Conclusion
Intergovernmental relations are crucial in ensuring the federal government's policies are implemented successfully in all areas. As the local government has no implementation organs apart from the state and local actors, it is evident and necessary that these questions are addressed. They pose questions on how the government can and should be related and managed based on intergovernmental relations.
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References
Aldag, A. M., Kim, Y., & Warner, M. E. (2019). Austerity urbanism or pragmatic
municipalism? Local government responses to fiscal stress in New York State.
Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space, 51(6), 1287–1305.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0308518X19844794
Goelzhauser, G., & Rose, S. (2017). The State of American Federalism 2016–2017: Policy
reversals and partisan perspectives on intergovernmental relations.
Publius: The Journal
of Federalism
,
47
(3), 285-313.
Hamilton, D. K., & Stenberg, C. W. (2018). Introduction: Intergovernmental Relations in
Transition. In
Intergovernmental Relations in Transition
(pp. 1-12). Routledge.
Kim, Y. (2019). Limits of fiscal federalism: How narratives of local government inefficiency
facilitate scalar dumping in New York State. Environment and Planning A: Economy and
Space, 51(3), 636–653. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308518X18796511
Kincaid, J. & Stenberg, C. W. (2011). “Big Questions” about Intergovernmental Relations and
Management: Who will address them? Intergovernmental management Symposium,
Public Administration Review.