The Small Cities CDBG program: An Assessment of Local Officials' Satisfication with State Administration

Christopher E. Gallagher, The College of Wooster

Abstract

Aministration of the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program was devolved from the federal government to the state governments with the signing of the Omnibus Budget Reconcilliation Act of 1981. State operation of this program provides an opportunity to study the effects of changing governmental control of a direct federal-local grant-in-aid program, thereby permitting examination of decentralization theory. The Small Cities program is important because it represents an expiramental shift in authority which may give support to further increasing state roles in program administration. This study examines the effects of shifting Small Cities program responsibilities to the State of Ohio. Data was collected via survey. Onehundred and twenty local government officials were asked to rate their satisfaction with the operation of the Small Cities program by the State of Ohio compared with the operation of the program by the federal government. Satisfaction levels with the State and with HUD were then compared so that overall satisfaction with the State operation could be attained. Results of the survey indicate satisfaction with the operation of the Small Cities program slightly favor the State over the federal government. In fact, officials were satisfied with the federal government more than with the State in numerous instances. Overall though, there does seem to be _ sufficient evidence to suggest the State is doing an adaquate job of administering the Small Cities CDBG program .