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EC 664 |
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Urban and Regional Economics |
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Class Days |
Tuesday |
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CRN # 20671 |
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Class Hours |
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Fall 2005 |
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Class
Location |
Auerbach 424 |
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Instructor |
Dr. Jeffrey Cohen |
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Office |
Location: |
A412C |
Office Phone: |
860-768-4834 |
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E-mail: |
Fax Number: |
860-768-4911 |
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Homepage: |
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Office Hours |
Tuesday: And
by appointment |
Required text:
O’Sullivan, Arthur, Urban Economics, fifth edition, Irwin McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Other supplementary
readings/texts (additional readings may be added as the course progresses):
Harriss, Lowell, “Taxing for Progress”, mimeo, June 2003.
Mills, Edwin S. And Bruce Hamilton, Urban Economics, fifth edition, Addison-Wesley, 1994.
Wassmer, Robert W., ed.,
Fischel, William A., “School Finance Litigation and Property Tax Revolts: How Undermining Local Control Turns Voters Away from Public Education”, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Working Paper, 1998.
Henderson, J. Vernon,
Zmarak Shalizi, and Anthony J. Venables, “Geography and Development,” Journal of
Economic Geography, 1, pp. 81-105, 2001.
“Two-Rate Taxation of
Land and Buildings”, videotape of symposium at the Barney School of Business,
Cohen, Jeffrey P. and
Cletus Coughlin, “Congestion at Airports: The Economics of Airport Expansions,”
Federal Reserve Bank of
Course Objectives/Content: Urban economics is the study of where firms and consumers choose to locate, and how and why they make their choices. There are several aspects of urban economics. These include:
1. Market forces in development of cities, including why and where urban areas develop, and how local government can encourage economic development of cities.
2. Land rent and land use within cities, including how the price of land is determined; public policy and land use; zoning; Henry George and land taxation.
3. Spatial aspects of poverty and housing, with discussion of why poverty is more pervasive in urban areas; why housing is different from other goods; and whether government should give money directly to the poor or provide low income housing.
4. Local public finance, including the appropriate level of government to provide public services desired levels of public services; transportation congestion and land use patterns; the economics of education, with emphasis on school finance litigation and property tax revolts; and local government’s role in regulation of urban environmental quality.
This course will be of interest to students of varied backgrounds and interests, including students interested in public policy, environmental policy, land use policy, urban studies, and economics. Students will have the opportunity to explore specific areas of interest within urban and regional economics with the required research paper as described below.
Grading:
Research Paper: 35%
Class Participation/Presentations: 15%
Midterm Exam: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
Since
class participation is an important factor in determining the final grade,
attendance is required and missing class will hurt the participation component
of a student’s grade.
The date for the midterm exam will be chosen by the class together with the instructor.
The final exam will be on Tuesday, Dec. 20 from
The research paper will be on a topic chosen by each student individually, in consultation with the instructor. There will be various deadlines throughout the semester in order to ensure that students are progressing in their research, but the final paper will be due on the last day of class. Students will also present the progress on their research findings to the class at various points throughout the semester. It is also recommended that students meet regularly with the instructor to discuss their progress on their research and general progress in the course.
Examples of past research papers include:
-The Two-Rate Tax and Its Potential
-Urban vs. Suburban Education
-Why the Poor Live in Cities
-Sports Stadium Financing
Tentative
Course Outline:
Introduction
– 2 weeks
Market
forces in the development of cities – 3 weeks
Land rent
and urban land use patterns – 4 weeks
Spatial
aspects of poverty and housing – 2 weeks
Local government, education finance, and urban environmental
quality – 3 weeks
Contextual Coverage:
Ethics: NA
Global: NA
Political, Social, legal, regulatory and environmental: Coverage of public policy issues and some discussion of regulation and environmental policy.
Technological: Use of Blackboard and the internet
Demographic Diversity: Some discussion of urban housing issues and relationship to demographics.
Communication Skills: Students will present their own research to the class.
Disability
Guidelines
If you have been diagnosed with a disability and you require reasonable accommodations, you must make an appointment with the Director of Student Services at 768-4260. Documentation must be presented so that you may be referred to the appropriate office for these accommodations. All information is kept strictly confidential.
In an effort to create an environment that is conducive to
learning, the following guidelines are presented to make explicit expectations
that the
1. Follow
the Academic Honesty Policy without fail.
2. Respect
differing views on campus and to engage in responsible discussion with others
with whom you do not agree.
3. Regularly
attend classes and submit assignments on or before specified deadlines.
4. Prepare
for each class by completing reading assignments, homework and/or case
preparation.
5. Not
bring food and drink into the classroom unless instructor approval is given.
6. Raise
a hand if you wish to speak or be excused from the classroom. Students are not permitted to get up and
leave at will.
7. Act
in a reasonable manner in the classroom and halls so as not to disrupt others.
8. Dispose
of gum, trash and paper in designated receptacles. Do not leave trash in the stairwells,
classrooms, desktops or any other non-designated receptacle.
9. See
professors during their regularly scheduled office hours or by
appointment. Office hours are posted on
each professor’s door.
10. Take
exams when they are scheduled unless you have been excused on official
university business, such as participation in athletic events, or medical
emergency (notifying your professor prior to the exam).
11. Immediately
contact professors if you will miss or have missed a class or exam and also to
make up what you have missed.
The Source
also specifies the following acts as punishable misconduct and subject to
Judicial Review.
a.
Damage, destruction or theft of
University property;
b.
Deliberate interference with any class
or University function;
c.
Refusal to vacate a building;
d.
Tampering with fire alarms or
fire-fighting equipment;
e.
Possession or use of a dangerous
article;
f.
Illegal or unauthorized entry or
presence in a facility;
g.
Alcohol – no possession or use in
class;
h.
Noise and general disorderliness;
i.
Providing false information to a
University office;
j.
Acting with violence;
k.
Failure to respond to a reasonable
request and to produce identification;
l.
Possession, use or storage of drugs and
drug paraphernalia;
m.
Abuse of computer access – incl.
copying software;
n.
Visitors – you are responsible for the
actions of your visitors.
Course Outline – EC 664
Part I: Introduction
O’Sullivan, chapter 1 and Appendix (Tools of Microeconomics).
Part II : Market forces
in development of cities
O’Sullivan, chapters 1-6;
Wassmer, chapter 2, 3, 4.
Part III: Land rent
and urban land use patterns
Harriss
“Two-Rate Taxation of Land and Buildings” videotape
O’Sullivan, chapters 7-10;
Wassmer, chapters 6, 7, 9, 10.
Part IV: Poverty and
Housing
O’Sullivan, chapters 14, 16, 17, 18.
Part V: Local
Government, Urban Transportation, Education, and Pollution and Environmental
Quality
O’Sullivan, chapters 11, 13, 15, 19, 20;
Cohen and Coughlin
selections from Fischel;
Mills and Hamilton, chapter 15;
Wassmer, chapters 15, 23, 33.
Note: The outline, dates, and grading weights are intended as a guide and may be changed during the semester at the discretion of the instructor.