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States and local governments have historically competed for power and resources, but in recent years there has been a new wave of state preemption of local authority. These preemptions limit local initiative in regulation for public health (smoking, gun control, sugary drinks), environment (land use controls, right of way), economic equality (minimum wage and worker protections), human rights (sanctuary cities and anti-discrimination) and new emerging sectors (5-G, broadband, ride sharing and home sharing), and limit fiscal authority (tax and expenditure limitations). Local government is on the forefront of addressing these issues, but states can restrict local government action.  Our reports look at the changing nature of preemption and how local governments are responding.

State Preemption of Local Action

Bravo N, Warner ME and Aldag A. (2020). Grabbing Market Share, Taming Rogue Cities and Crippling Counties: Views from the Field on State Preemption of Local Authority. Dept. of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

Kim Y and Warner ME. (2018). Shrinking local autonomy: corporate coalitions and the subnational state. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society 11: 427-441.

Wen C, Xu Y, Kim Y and Warner ME (2018). “Starving Counties, Squeezing Cities: Tax and Expenditure Limits in the US,” Journal of Economic Policy Reform, doi: 10.1080/17487870.2018.1509711

Pragmatic Local Responses

Aldag, AM, Kim, Y and Warner ME. (2019). Austerity urbanism or pragmatic municipalism? Local government responses to fiscal stress in New York State. Environment and Planning: A. doi: 10.1177/0308518X19844794

Aldag, AM, Warner, ME and Kim, Y. (2018) Leviathan or public steward? Evidence on local government taxing behavior from New York State. Publius: The Journal of Federalism doi: 10.1093/publius/pjy035.

Issue Briefs and Reports

Conlin M, Fenton E, Raley L, Wang X, Ye C, and Uribe-Rheinbolt F. (2019) The Global Recycling Crisis and How Local Governments Can Respond. Dept. of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Issue briefWebsite

Shukla, P, Mesa Guerra, C, Rathore, K, and Lopes R. (2019). To ban or not to ban? A guide to regulating plastic bags. Dept. of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Issue Brief Full Report

Gandhi, A, Park, J, Zhou, G and Sanjana S. (2019). Short term rental regulations: Local government solutions. Dept. of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Issue Brief   Full Report

Bulger, L, Butai, A, Falk, Z and Ling I. (2019). Transit network companies and the future of shared mobility. Dept. of City and Regional Planning, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Issue Brief