This course will examine the political and economic theories and legal doctrines concerning the de-centralization of power in the United States. The United States’ political system delegates enormous powers to “local governments” — cities, towns, counties, various “special authorities” and “special districts” such as school districts — that are controlled by officials who are elected by the persons residing in the local governments’ jurisdiction. This regime of local government is one of the most de-centralized in the world, and it has inspired both praise and criticism because of its de-centralization. The purpose of this course is to obtain an overview of the United States’ local government system and to evaluate various aspects of this system in light of the academic literature that we read. Toward achieving the first goal, we will consider writings by Tocqueville, J.S. Mill, James Madison, Charles Tiebout, Anthony Downs, Elinor and Vincent Ostrom, and others. We will then consider three general issues in local government law: (1) the formation and enlargement of local governments? territorial jurisdiction and membership through state laws and federal constitutional doctrines governing annexation, incorporation, and the voting rights of residents and non-residents; (2) the regulatory powers of local governments under state doctrines of statutory construction such as “Dillon?s rule” and state constitutional provisions extending “home rule” to local governments; and (3) the laws governing local governments? ability to generate revenue and issue debt — in particular, the laws limiting local bonded indebtedness and the increasingly common state legislation and state constitutional doctrines governing school finance in Michigan and elsewhere. This is not a “black-letter” course in Michigan local government law (although we will read some Michigan statutes and judicial decisions). Rather, it is a course in the political theory and legal practice of local government and decentralization throughout the United States. Grade will be based on either an exam or paper at students’ option.