Population Size, Density and Urban Government Expenditure: Evidence from the Sydney Metropolitan Area
Seminar on Friday 20th March in Lecture Theatre 5, W39 in EBL Building at 12:30PM.
Presented by:
Dr. Michael Kortt, Senior Lecturer in Applied Economics, School of Business and Tourism, Southern Cross University
Abstract
Theories of urban government suggest that larger units are able to provide services at a lower cost than their smaller counterparts. These claims rest on the underlying assumption that local service delivery is characterised by considerable scale economies. However, within urban areas such economies may reflect the effects of density as much as size. We examined the relationship between size and density and the expenditure of urban municipalities in the Sydney metropolitan area during the period 2005 to 2010. Our analysis reveals limited empirical evidence in support of scale economies attributable to either the effects of size or density.
Dr. Michael Kortt is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Tourism at Southern Cross University (SCU). He holds a PhD in economics from the University of New England, an MS in public health from the University of Arizona, and an honours degree in economics from La Trobe University. Prior to joining SCU in 2011, Michael spent 10 years working in the government sector as a Research Manager for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the Department of Health and Ageing.
Dr Kortt has extensive experience in conducting research and his recent publications have appeared in Administration & Society, Applied Economics Letters, Australian Journal of Political Science, Australian Journal of Public Administration, Economic Papers, Economic Record, International Journal of Public Administration, Journal of Happiness Studies, Local Government Studies, Public Finance and Management and Social Indicators Research. Dr Kortt has also co-authored the following academic books through Federation Press with Professor Brian Dollery and Dr Bligh Grant at the University of New England: Councils in Cooperation: Shared Services and Australian Local Government (2012) and Funding the Future: Financial Sustainability and Infrastructure Finance in Australian Local Government (2013).
His principal research interests fall squarely on local government economics and public administration.
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