Capacity, sustainability, and the community benefits of municipal utility ownership in the United States. Issue 2 (2nd April 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Homsy, George C.
• Is Part Of: Journal of economic policy reform. Volume 23:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 120
• Page End: 137
• Publication Date: 2020-04-02
• Subjects: Local government -- sustainability policymaking -- municipal utilities -- electricity -- water; Economic policy -- Periodicals; Commercial policy -- Periodicals; Monetary policy -- Periodicals; International trade -- Periodicals; Developing countries -- Economic policy -- Periodicals; Former Soviet republics -- Economic policy -- Periodicals; Post-communism -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- Periodicals; 338.9
• DOI: 10.1080/17487870.2018.1515014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-7870

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Most literature on utility sustainability focuses on internal operations; this misses the role that utilities could play within a community. This study measures the impact of municipal ownership of water and electric utilities on the sustainability policymaking of local governments. I find that municipalities with government-owned water utilities adopt more sustainability measures than those with investor-owned service. Similarly, municipally-owned electric utilities have higher levels of energy sustainability in the community, but not in government operations. The utilities provide fiscal and technical capacity to municipalities. Interdepartmental coordination also strongly predicts sustainability policymaking. This study brings potential community benefits to the discussion of private investment in public service delivery.