ECOS3011 - Public Finance

Semester 2, 2011  |  Credit Points: 6

Coordinator: Peter William Abelson
Phone: +61 2 9351 4155
Email: peter.abelson@sydney.edu.au

Description

Public Finance is about the taxing and spending decisions of governments. The unit covers a wide range of public finance topics. After an introduction to welfare economics and the role of government in the economy, the unit focuses on the revenue side of the budget: tax incidence, efficient and equitable taxation, the Australian system of revenue raising, issues of tax reform and the theory and practice of public utility pricing. It then focuses on the expenditure side of the government budget: public goods, externalities, and programs aimed at redistribution. It also introduces techniques of policy evaluation.

Assessments

1x mid semester exam (20%), 1x assignment (30%), 1x final exam (50%)

Classes

One 2 hour lecture per week and one additional hour per fortnight

Prerequisites

Either (ECOS2001 or ECON2001) or (ECOS2901 or ECON2901)

Prohibitions

ECON3011

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