Recent posts
Sep 2, 2026
The Special District Boundary Problem
A nationally representative dataset of special district shapes does not exist. But what if it did? And how can we get there?
Aug 27, 2026
Thinking About Professional Local Government Management Education, Part I
In part I of this series on local government management education, I outline some issues with how the MPA degree is designed relative to the audiences that are or could be served.
Jul 2, 2026
How I set up Zotero to maintain my sanity
Zotero, the citation management program, is load bearing infrastructure for my job. It requires setup to get the most out of it.
Jun 8, 2026
A figure that has been stuck in my head
The relative growth of the total local government sector relative to the total non-farm private sector is fascinating—once a laggard but no longer.
Working papers
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Christopher B. Goodman. "Local Governments in the Age of Preemption,” Working paper.
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Christopher B. Goodman. "Demand Shocks & Special Districts: Evidence from Chinese Import Shocks,” Working paper.
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Christopher B. Goodman and Suzanne M. Leland. "Creative Destruction? Examining Special District Dissolution by Service Area."
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Christopher B. Goodman. "Overlapping Jurisdictions and Residential Segregation by Race”
Current courses
Local & Metropolitan Government
- Fall 2026 (synchronous online)