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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 April 2015
The ethnic balance in several major cities has changed in recent years. Black population of the central cities has increased because of migration to cities from rural areas. At the same time, the white population of suburban areas has increased because many whites have left the central cities for suburban metropolitan areas. More blacks than whites, in general, suffer from underemployment, low incomes, high crime rates, substandard housing and poor health and sanitation conditions. These factors tend to influence the kinds and amount of community services local governments provide or deny to their constituents.
Studies done by such political sociologists as Clark, Lineberry and Fowler, Hirsch, Sanders, and Wilson and Banfield suggest that community attitudes on bond issues, local taxes or local government spending are influenced by the community's ethnic ties.
The author is grateful to Joseph Havlicek, Jr., J. Paxton Marshall and five anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments; the incorporation of their suggestions has greatly enhanced the quality of the paper.