Public Finance - Expenditure
Econ 3328a - Section 570
Professor Peter Ibbott
Winter 2015
Contact:
Website:
Office Hours:
Lectures:
433-3491 ext. 4378, pibbott@uwo.ca,
http://www.kingscollege.net/ibbott, http://publish.uwo.ca/~pibbott/
T/Th
1:30 – 3:00 pm
FB313 (Or by appointment)
T
9:30 - 11:30 pm
W045
Th
9:30 - 10:30 pm
W148
Course Text:
Leach, John, A Course in Public Economics, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, ISBN: 9780521535670.
Overview:
This course provides an introduction to the economic analysis of
government. We begin by carefully examining the success of markets in
organizing production and distribution. From this analysis, we can identify
areas where markets may fail to organize efficiently and how government
policies might be best designed to solve “market failures”. We go on to
examine how Government is not simply an instrument for solving market
failures. Specifically, we will examine: what objectives governments tend
to pursue, what sort of social instruments are available to government,
“government failure” in pursuing social objectives, and solutions to the
government failure problem.
Evaluation::
Assignments
Distributed in Class
25%
Term Test
Tuesday, Oct. 27
25%
Final Exam
December 11-22, TBA
50%
Academic Year: September 10: Fall/Winter Term classes begin.
September 18: Last day to add a first-term half or full course
October 12: Thanksgiving Holiday.
October 29 – 30: Fall Study Break
November 5: Last day to drop ½ course without academic penalty.
December 9: Fall/Winter Term classes end.
December 10: Study Day.
December 11 – 22: Mid-year examination period
REGULATIONS:
Pre-requisite:
ECON 2260a/b
Anti-requisite:
ECON 2159a/b.
Students are responsible for ensuring that their selection of courses is appropriate and accurately recorded,
that all course prerequisites have been successfully completed, and that they are aware of any anti-requisite
course that they have taken. If the student does not have the requisites for a course, and does not have
written special permission from his or her Dean to enrol in the course, the University reserves the right to
cancel the student’s registration in the course. This decision may not be appealed. The normal financial
and academic penalties will apply to a student who is dropped from a course for failing to have the
necessary prerequisite.
Missed Tests:
Missing a test results in a grade of 0 unless documentation is provided that establishes that a serious illness
or family emergency made it impossible to attend. This documentation must be provided no later than 5
days after a missed test. If conflicts with other tests or sporting events make it impossible to write the test
on the planned date, the student is responsible to inform the Professor in advance so that alternative
arrangements can be made. Students who have provided documentation of a legitimate reason for absence
will be provided with the opportunity to write a make-up test. If a make-up test is impossible to organize
within a reasonable period of time, the final exam will be reweighted to make up the missing grades.
Policy on the Use of laptops:
The use of laptops by students during lectures, seminars, labs, etc., shall be for matters related to the course
at hand only. Students found to be using laptops for purposes not directly related to the class may be
subject to sanctions under the Student Code of Conduct
(http://www.kings.uwo.ca/files/file/about/code_of_conduct 2003.pdf). Inappropriate use of laptops during
lectures, seminars, labs, etc., creates a significant disruption. As a consequence, instructors may choose to
limit the use of electronic devices in these settings. In addition, in order to provide a safe classroom
environment, students are strongly advised to operate laptops with batteries rather than power cords.
Debarment:
1. A student may be debarred from writing the final examination for failure to maintain satisfactory
academic standing throughout the academic year.
2. Any student who, in the opinion of the instructor, is absent too frequently from class or laboratory
periods in any course, will be reported to the Dean of the Faculty offering the course (after due warning
has been given). On the recommendation of the department concerned, and with the permission of the
Dean of that Faculty, the student will be debarred from taking the regular examination in the course.
Statement on Academic Offences:
King’s is committed to Academic Integrity. Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are
directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence,
at the following Web site:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING ARE SERIOUS SCHOLASTIC OFFENCES. All required papers may
be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software
under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted for such checking will
be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of
papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement,
currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review
by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
Accommodation for Religious Holidays:
Please refer to the Senate Policy on Accommodation for Religious Holidays at
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/accommodation_religious.pdf (See Policy on Academic
Rights and Responsibilities.). The Calendar of Religious Accommodation for the 2011-12 academic year
will be available at: http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2011/pg10.html . This calendar shows religious
holidays for which Equity and Human Rights Services has confirmed students of different faiths may
require academic accommodation.
Please be advised that students must give proper written notice for such an accommodation in
accordance with the directives in the 2011-12 UWO Academic Calendar (page 18-19):
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2011/pg119.html