Preference Revelation and Public Policy

Surveys of citizen opinion have become commonplace features of contemporary American life. Along with their use by market researchers and political polling organizations, local governments have been making increasing use of citizen surveys as one method of gathering information about institutional performance. The value of these data to decision makers is found in the unique distributional character of those responding to a general population survey. Unlike public hearings and informal contact with constituents, general population surveys (if done correctly) provide potentially useful information regarding the preferences and assessments of a random cross-section of their constituents. In fact, cities such as Dayton, Ohio, St. Petersburg, Florida, and Dallas, Texas have gone so far as to incorporate annual or biennial surveys of constituent opinion into their routine management process.' An increasing number of articles-several of which have appeared in the Public Administration Reviewhave been published in recent years which deal with the use of citizen surveys by local government. Among these various papers are those which address the interpretation of citizen preference information2 and various methodological issues associated with the conduct of such surveys.3 Reflected in this literature is an implicit assumption that at least two different purposes may be served by such surveys of constituent opinion: they may be used as a type of performance indicator and / or to inform decisions about the distribution of monies across different policy areas. In the first instance, interest is focused upon the issue of citizen satisfaction with current services. In the second, interest is directed toward constituent opinion regarding the division of an hypothetical budget. With specific reference to questions about the size of a budget, significant questions remain about the utility of citizen survey data to decision makers. When respondents to a general population survey are asked if they would like their city government to spend more, the same, or less on the provision of a specific good or service, are the preferences expressed by respondents real preferences or are they merely artifacts of a particular research methodology? In the literature of public

Economics · Microeconomics · Political science · Preference · Revelation · Sense (electronics · Sociology · Theology · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Engineering · Philosophy · Public Administration

• Citizen surveys

  Open Access•Wendy L Hassett, Douglas J Watson•Journal of Public Budgeting…•2003

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• Exit Surveys as a Tool for Local Officials Who Are Considering Bond Issues for Infrastructure Improvements

  Open Access•Terry Bowen, Matthew Corrigan•Public Works Management & Policy•2001

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• The impact of government form on e-participation

  Open Access•Yueping Zheng, Hindy Lauer Schachter et al.•Government Information Quarterly•2014

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• The influence of fiscal information on preferences for city services

  Open Access•William Simonsen, Mark D Robbins•The Social Science Journal•2000

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• Citizen Dissatisfaction Leads to Budget Cuts, or Not

  Open Access•Nai‐Ling Kuo•Australian Journal of Public…•2012

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• Practicing the Politics of Inclusion

  Open Access•Hunter Bacot, Amy Snyder McCabe et al.•The American Review of Public…•1993

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• Are we All Touching the Same Camel

  Open Access•Aimee L Franklin, Carol Ebdon•The American Review of Public…•2005

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• The Case For The Inexperienced User

  Open Access•Janet M Kelly, David Swindell•The American Review of Public…•2003

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• Anglo and Latino Differences in Willingness to Pay for Urban Public Services

  Open Access•Nicholas O Alozie, Catherine Mcnamara et al.•Social Science Quarterly•2008

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• Gender Differences in Willingness to Pay for Urban Public Services

  Open Access•Nicholas O Alozie, Catherine Mcnamara et al.•Urban Affairs Review•2010

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• The "More for Less" Paradox

  Susan Welch•Public Opinion Quarterly•1985

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• The Dilemma of the Unsatisfied Customer in a Market Model of Public Administration

  Open Access•Janet M Kelly•Public Administration Review•2005

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• Citizen Participation in Budgeting Theory

  Open Access•Carol Ebdon, Aimee L Franklin•Public Administration Review•2006

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• Determinants of Performance Measurement

  Open Access•Esteban G Dalehite•Public Administration Review•2008

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• The Political Environment and Citizen Competence

  James H Kuklinski, Paul J Quirk et al.•American Journal of Political…•2001

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• Estimating demand for public goods

  Open Access•Peter Bohm•European Economic Review•1972

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