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- Title
Preference Revelation and Public Policy: Making Sense of Citizen Survey Data.
- Authors
Wilson II, L. A.
- Abstract
Local governments have been making increasing use of citizen surveys as part of their management process. Even in light of a growing literature about their use and interpretation, significant questions remain about the utility of these data to decision makers. With specific reference to questions about the size and distribution of an hypothetical budget pie, are the preferences expressed by respondents to a general population survey "real" or "true" preferences or are they merely artifacts of a particular research method? In the context of data taken from two different communities at two different times, an attempt is made to estimate the frequency of the expression of "sincere" preferences for additional public spending-preferences which are accompanied by a willingness to pay additional taxes in order to obtain additional public goods or services. It is argued here that approximately two-thirds or more of the demands for additional service expressed on a general population survey constitute "sincere" preferences.
- Subjects
POLITICAL planning; LOCAL government; PUBLIC administration; DEMOGRAPHIC surveys; GOVERNMENT policy; PUBLIC spending; POLITICAL science
- Publication
Public Administration Review, 1983, Vol 43, Issue 4, p335
- ISSN
0033-3352
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/975836