Pacific Standard March-April 2013 Cover

About Shanna Pearson

Shanna Pearson-Merkowitz is an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island. Her academic work is published in some of the top political science journals including the Journal of Politics, the American Journal of Political Science, and State Politics and Policy Quarterly. Prior to entering academia, she worked in state and local government and electoral campaigns.

Analysis: We Should Rethink Who Funds Basic Services

January 3, 2013 • By • Leave a Comment
Facing a dire revenue shortfall, Providence, Rhode Island, has taken drastic measures to save money, providing only basic services to those in need. (PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK)

Barrington may be the only community in Rhode Island that not only did not cut back on library hours and services in 2011—it expanded them. What’s more, in 2012, it has continued to increase library funding. The nearby city of Providence closed seven of its nine public libraries for a week this September because it needed to close a budget shortfall. Even before that closure, budget constraints had limited the hours at Providence libraries, making it difficult for people with full time jobs and their families to use this public service on most days. This is just one example of how ... Read More

More like this: Business & Economics
Tags: , ,

Cities are (Still) Dropping Like Flies

November 28, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
(PHOTO: INMAN NEWS)

Cities are dropping like flies. In the last several months, a string of municipal governments in states from Alabama to Rhode Island have filed for bankruptcy. Even more are likely to follow within the next year as cities reel from an end to federal stimulus dollars. What’s going on with local governments? Their troubles stem from multiple sources, but the critical factor is, yes, after all this time, still the housing bust. City finances are almost exclusively tied to property tax revenue—indeed, most locales have no other funding source. Despite all the focus on mismanagement and ... Read More

More like this: Business & Economics
Tags: , ,

The Presidential Campaigns Didn’t Really Matter

November 13, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
obamacampaign

Political scientists argue Americans have all the information we need to make our voting decisions long before the campaign begins. So, we can—almost—call presidential elections while its still summertime. Why then do we have to endure long fall months of endless political rhetoric? Turns out, there is one simple reason. Most of us who are interested in politics are relieved. Whether or not we liked the outcome of the election, we are simply happy not to have to read and hear endless news about the two campaigns anymore. But we probably could have tuned out altogether while it was still ... Read More

More like this: Politics
Tags: , ,

Grover Norquist’s Proposal to Raise Taxes

May 2, 2012 • By • Leave a Comment
ps-401k-NEW

Recently, in an interview with Ira Glass on This American Life, Grover Norquist — the famed founder of Americans for Tax Reform, and organizer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which asks political candidates across the United States to commit themselves in writing to oppose any and all increases in taxes — argued that one of the most fundamental reforms necessary to shrink the size of government is to move all state and local government employees from publically funded pension systems to 401(k) plans. At this point, the problem with state and local government pensions is not a matter ... Read More

More like this: Business & Economics, May-June 2012
Tags: ,