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Pragmatic Municipalism

Privatization and Remunicipalisation in the US

Bibliographic Data

ID6302244
AuthorsMildred E Warner (0000-0002-0109-338X, Cornell University, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume50
Issue4
Pages677-695
Publication date2024-07-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueLocal Government Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0300-3930 • E-ISSN: 1743-9388
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03003930.2022.2162884
OpenAlexW4313592230
LanguageEN
Citations received21
References cited76

At the local government level in the US, the process of privatisation has been a dynamic one of experimentation with market delivery and return to public delivery when privatisation fails to deliver. National survey data show what drives this experimentation are pragmatic concerns with service cost and quality. Service and market characteristics, local government capacity and regulatory framework matter. In contrast to current international debates about the potential of remunicipalization to be a political reassertion of the public sector, for US local governments it is primarily a process of pragmatic municipalism. While some shifts in private finance and state regulatory environment favour private actors at the expense of local government, federal investments since COVID-19 provide funding and policy preference for maintaining a public role

Business · Economics · Political economy · Political science · Local Government Finance and Decentralization · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research · Public-Private Partnership Projects

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    Open Access•Judith Clifton, Mia Gray et al.•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2026

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  • (De)Financing remunicipalisation

    Open Access•David A Mcdonald•Urban Studies•2025

  • Politicising proximity

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  • Modeling political mimetic isomorphism versus economic and quality factors in local government privatizations

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  • Does political ideology still matter? A meta‐analysis of government contracting decisions

    Open Access•Yiying Chen, Jiahuan Lu•Public Administration•2024

  • Pragmatic remunicipalisation across diverse geographies in the US

    Open Access•Mildred E Warner, Austin M Aldag•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2026

  • Remunicipalisation and resistance to privatisation of local water services

    Open Access•Mira Yanez, Manuel Yañez•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2026

  • Reversing privatization

    Open Access•Ariel A Casarín, Augusto C Mercadier et al.•Utilities Policy•2025

  • Does Outsourcing Reduce Public Scrutiny Toward Elected Officials

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    Daniel Albalate, Germà Bel et al.•Local Government Studies•2024

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  • Why and how often do authorities remunicipalise urban public transport? The case of France

    Christian Desmaris, Didier Van De Velde•Local Government Studies•2024

  • The contested politics of de-privatisation and the shifting terrain of the local state

    Open Access•Franziska Christina Paul•Local Government Studies•2024

  • Neoliberal urban segregation and property tax

    Open Access•Ernesto López-Morales, Nicolás Herrera et al.•Environment and Planning A…•2024

  • Privatization and Intermunicipal Contracting

    Open Access•Amir Hefetz, Mildred E Warner et al.•Environment and Planning C…•2012

  • Insourcing and Outsourcing

    Mildred E Warner, Amir Hefetz•Journal of the American Planning…•2012

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    Mildred E Warner, Austin M Aldag et al.•Public Management Review•2021

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    Open Access•Xue Zhang, Marcela González Rivas et al.•Water Policy•2022

  • Austerity in the city

    Bruce R Donald, B Donald et al.•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2014

  • Marketisation, public services and the city

    Open Access•Mildred E Warner, Judith Clifton•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2013

  • Pushing austerity

    J Peck•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2013

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    Open Access•Mildred E Warner, Paige Kelly et al.•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2022

  • Shrinking local autonomy

    Open Access•Yunji Kim, Mildred E Warner•Cambridge Journal of Regions…•2018

  • Water supply

    Open Access•Edouard Pérard•Policy and Society•2008

  • Reasserting the role of the state in the healthcare sector

    Open Access•M Ramesh•Policy and Society•2008

  • The failure of water utilities privatization

    Open Access•Eduardo Araral•Policy and Society•2008

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    Open Access•Mildred E Warner•Policy and Society•2008

  • Privatization and regulation of public services

    Open Access•Eduardo Araral•Policy and Society•2009

  • Reasserting the public in public service delivery

    Open Access•Martin Painter, Ka-Ho Mok•Policy and Society•2008

  • Reasserting the state in Viet Nam Health Care and the logics of market-Leninism

    Open Access•Jonathan D London•Policy and Society•2008

  • Public planning with business delivery of excellent urban public transport

    Open Access•Paul A Barter•Policy and Society•2008

  • Pittsburgh's translocal social movement

    Open Access•Marcela González Rivas, Caitlin Schroering•Utilities Policy•2021

  • Ownership and sustainability of Italian water utilities

    Open Access•Gabriella D’Amore, Loris Landriani et al.•Utilities Policy•2021

  • Open questions for public water management

    Open Access•Carlos Santos Cardozo•Utilities Policy•2021

  • Public versus private water delivery, remunicipalization and water tariffs

    Open Access•Germà Bel•Utilities Policy•2019

  • From pragmatic to politicized? The future of water remunicipalization in the United States

    Open Access•Thomas M Hanna, David A Mcdonald•Utilities Policy•2021

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  • Privatization

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  • Local Government Restructuring

    Open Access•Mildred E Warner, Mildred Warner et al.•Journal of Policy Analysis and…•2001

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    Open Access•Andrew Cumbers, Franziska Christina Paul et al.•Antipode•2022

  • New Municipalism and the State

    Open Access•James Angel•Antipode•2021

  • Inter‐municipal Cooperation and Costs

    Open Access•Germà Bel, Mildred E Warner•Public Administration•2014

  • Pragmatic Municipalism

    Open Access•Yunji Kim, Mildred E Warner•Public Administration•2016

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    Open Access•Daniel Albalate, Germà Bel et al.•International Review of…•2021

  • Remunicipalization

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    Lori Riverstone-Newell•Publius The Journal of Federalism•2017

  • Outsourcing Public Service Delivery

    Open Access•Amanda M Girth, Amir Hefetz et al.•Public Administration Review•2012

  • Pragmatic Municipalism

    Open Access•Mildred E Warner, Austin M Aldag et al.•Public Administration Review•2020

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    Open Access•Harvey B Feigenbaum, Harvey Feigenbaum et al.•World Politics•1994

  • Political and Institutional Explanations for Increasing Re-municipalization

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  • Who votes for mayor? Evidence from midsized American cities

    Austin M Aldag•Local Government Studies•2019

  • The communicative policy maker revisited

    Amir Hefetz•Local Government Studies•2016

  • What have we learned from the last three decades of empirical studies on factors driving local privatisation

    Germà Bel, Xavier Fageda•Local Government Studies•2017

  • Contracting dynamics and unionisation

    Mildred E Warner, Amir Hefetz•Local Government Studies•2020

  • Can alternative service delivery save cities after the Great Recession? Barriers to privatisation and cooperation

    Yunji Kim•Local Government Studies•2018

  • Beyond the market versus planning dichotomy

    Amir Hefetz, Mildred E Warner et al.•Local Government Studies•2007

  • Water privatisation in France and Germany

    Kimberly Fitch, Kimberly A Fitch•Local Government Studies•2007

  • Privatisation, contracting-out and inter-municipal cooperation

    Open Access•Germà Bel, R H J M Gradus•Local Government Studies•2018

  • Contracting or Public Delivery? The Importance of Service, Market, and Management Characteristics

    Abraham Hefetz, Mildred E Warner•Journal of Public Administration…•2012

  • Transaction Costs and Institutional Explanations for Government Service Production Decisions

    Trevor L Brown•Journal of Public Administration…•2003

  • Privatization and Its Reverse

    Abraham Hefetz•Journal of Public Administration…•2004

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Unique citing works21
Citations per year7
Citation span2023 - 2026 (4)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedNo
Citation typesNeutral: 21
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