ABSTRACT
The Case Study Method is the classic marginal cost approach to project the effect of population change on municipal and school district costs. In brief, the Case Study Method employs intensive site-specific investigations to determine categories of excess or slack public service capacity or deficient or overage capacity. Revenues are obtained by adding increases in municipal and school district own source and intergovernmental revenues resulting from growth. The Case Study approach takes three to four times longer and costs commensurately more than other fiscal impact projection techniques. The Case Study Method provides a detailed view of the operating and capital impact of growth. The most important input to an effective Case Study analysis is the information derived through the cooperation of local officials. The Case Study Method elicits, through interviews with knowledgeable public officials, information about immediate plans to expand or maintain local services. It is a detailed, especially time consuming, and frequently costly approach.
