ECON 471 - Public Finance

5 credit hours

Examines justifications for the public sector. Discusses tax and spending activities from the perspective of microeconomic theory. Analyzes the influence of tax and spending programs on household behavior, resource allocation, and the distribution of income. Considers tradeoffs faced by policymakers and the design of public policies. Surveys institutional details of existing federal and state government policies and considers reforms to these policies. Prerequisites: ECON 271 and 272.