The Politics of City Revenue

The Politics of City Revenue provides an in-depth exploration of local government finance, specifically focusing on the city of Oakland, California, during a time of fiscal constraint and political challenge. Authored by Thomas M. Stanback, Jr., the book emerges from his firsthand experiences as a participant-observer in Oakland's city management during the late 1960s. Originally intending to apply program-budgeting techniques, Stanback quickly discovered that the city's central problem was not the allocation of resources but the critical issue of revenue generation. This realization reframed his study into a broader analysis of how local governments navigate fiscal challenges and political environments perceived as hostile.

The book examines how city officials engage in revenue generation, manage tight budgets, and respond to competing priorities in urban governance. Through a combination of theoretical insights and practical observations, Stanback provides a nuanced look at the interplay between economic constraints and political decision-making. The text also highlights the collaborative efforts behind urban governance research, with Stanback drawing upon the expertise of colleagues, city officials, and external funding sources, including NASA and the Urban Institute. This foundational work sheds light on the complexities of municipal finance and offers valuable lessons for policymakers, urban planners, and scholars navigating the fiscal realities of modern city administration.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1971.