Race, Representation, and Trust: Changes in Attitudes After the Election of a Black Mayor

This article addresses the general proposition that changesin leadership images precipitate changes in public opinion.Specifically, the purpose of this research is to determine ifchanges in the levels of political trust expressed by blackand white city residents can be attributed to the election ofa city's first black mayor. The attitudes of black and whiteresidents of the City of Atlanta before and after the electionof a black mayor are compared, and changes occurring duringthe study period are compared to similar national data. Alternateexplanations for the changes observed are explored. The dataexamined suggest that increased identification with city governmentamong blacks is stimulated by the election of a black mayor.     

RATE BASE METHODS AND REALIZED RATES OF RETURN

Considerable regulatory energy and academic research has been devoted to examining the question of what constitutes the "correct" basis of valuation of the rate base for utility firms. This study compares utility earnings using data which adjust for differences among state jurisdictions concerning what is allowed in the rate base. The results show that there is no statistical difference in earnings of firms regulated by original cost, fair value, and reproduction cost jurisdictions. The results also show that regulation cannot generally explain the variance in earnings between states and rapid inflation does not seem to affect the results.     

GRADUATE EDUCATION AND PRIVATE RATES OF RETURN: A REVIEW OF THEORY AND EMPIRICISM

In this paper twelve recent studies regarding private rates of return for graduate education are reviewed and evaluated. Possible sources of error due to data base, methodology and interpretation of results are examined and compared. After this has been done, the authors calculate returns to graduate education with spatial distribution problems and job security incorporated in the model. The article concludes that the typical rate of return method has been pushed about as far as it can go and now is the time for the economic profession to develop more meaningful techniques which will allow us to come to grips with the policy issues regarding the level of support for education.     

Children ever in care: an examination of cumulative disproportionality

Most studies of ethnic disproportionality in child welfare examine data in one of two ways: a point in time approach or an entry cohort approach. While each provides insight into disproportionality, neither gives a full picture of the differences among ethnic groups in the experience of the child welfare system over time. This study uses longitudinal administrative child welfare data to examine ethnic disproportionality in involvement with the child welfare system during the first seven years of life at three levels of contact: (1) initial referrals, (2) substantiated referrals, and (3) first entries. Findings suggest the experience of African American families, and probably Native American families, with the child welfare system is much different from other families.