Handbook of Public Economics v.4

The publication of volumes 3 and 4 of the Handbook of Public Economics affords us several opportunities: to address lacunae in the original two volumes of this series, to revisit topics on which there has been substantial new research, and to address topics that have grown in importance. Indeed, many of the papers individually encompass all three of these elements. For each chapter relates to one from an earlier volume, the new contribution is free standing, written with the knowledge that the reader retains the opportunity to review the earlier chapter to compare perspectives and consider material that the current author has chosen not to cover. Indeed, such comparisons illuminate the evolution of the field during the two decades that have elapsed since work first began on the chapters in volume 1. Taken together, the four volumes offer a comprehensive review of research in public economics over the past few decades, written by many of the field's leading researchers. For more information on the Handbooks of Economics series, please see our homepage on http://www.elsevier.nl/locate/hes...The latest volume in a series providing a comprehensive review of research in public economics contains nine papers that address lacunae in earlier volumes or revisit topics on which there has been substantial new research. Journal of Economic Literature ...Both public-finance economists and those outside the field will find value in the fourth volume of the Handbook of Public Economics. The chapters provide a thorough summary of research on policy-relevant topics including health care, Social Security, and welfare. They also include a plethora of empirical estimates on critical parameter values, providing researchers venturing beyond their own area of expertise a reliable (and eminently citable!) source for reasonable values. The individual chapters are self-contained and could easily serve as supplements to core reading requirements in undergraduate or graduate courses. ...The rest of the volume features chapters on generational accounting, tax incidence, local public goods, education, and welfare programs. The enduring relevance of these topics both in academia and policy circles makes this volume of the Handbook of Public Economics a useful resource for economists and policy analysts alike. Journal of Economic Literature