When local government works imperfectly, when we impose certain regulatory constraints on it from above such as these kind of equalizing of property rights, we detach and destroy some of the natural incentives that might make them work fairly well. And so one of the things I think we need to do is make sure courts especially and higher levels government are restraining kind of the worst excesses of that. Or we have the alternative of a Leviathan, a larger state that has all the log rolling problems we are no or even greater at that level.
Economic historian Judge Glock talks to EconTalk host Russ Roberts about zoning and the housing market. Glock argues the impact on zoning on housing affordability is small and that we should learn to love property taxes as long as they're administered properly. The conversation includes a discussion of the environmental impact of urban sprawl--Glock argues sprawl has certain environmental benefits.