This book argues that governments' choices in favour or against strong intergovernmental institutions are not primarily driven by considerations of efficiency but by internal political dynamics within their own boundaries. It applies the argument to Canada, Switzerland, the United States, and finally to the European Union.

Considers. S. 60, to amend the Budget and Accounting Act to require Bureau of Budget to publish a Federal domestic aid programs catalogue and to transfer from OEO to the Bureau of Budget responsibility for the Federal information exchange system (including its Federal domestic aid programs catalogue). S. 2479, to amend the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968 to permit consolidation of Federal aid programs, facilitate management of joint Federal-state and Federal-local projects, and give Congress oversight authority. S. 2035, to permit consolidation of Federal aid programs.

Considers S. 561, the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1965, and S. 689, to provide for periodic congressional review of Federal grants-in-aid to States and to local units of government.

This book introduces students to the complex landscape of state-local intergovernmental relations today. Each chapter illustrates conflict and cooperation for policy problems including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, environmental regulation, marijuana regulation, and government management capacity. The contributors, leading experts in the field, help students enhance their understanding of the importance of state-local relations in the U.S. federal system, argue for better analysis of the consequences of state-local relations for the quality of policy outcomes, and introduce them to public service career opportunities in state and local government.