This text draws on research in economics, political science, and policy analysis to show why state and local public finance has assumed such an important role in domestic fiscal policy matters. Traditional topics such as the theories of taxation and intergovernmental grants are combined by Raimondo with numerous overlooked subjects to reveal the dynamic and complex nature of state-local government fiscal behavior. Among the topics discussed are regional economic performance and state-local government finance; state and local taxes on property, sales, and personal income; user charges and gambling revenues; and the beneficiaries of local governments.