Professional Skills
SFSU’s MPA Program provided me with
the foundation of understanding the different aspects of
public administration including financial
management, human resource management, cost-benefit
analysis, grant writing, policy analysis, and leadership
and management skills. Another part of the MPA
program focuses on policy and research. From these
classes, in addition to my electives, I have gained an
appreciation and understanding for the judicial and
legislative processes in our country.
The San Francisco Bay Area is one
of the most congested regions in the nation. To respond
to this issue, the San Francisco County Transportation
Authority and city officials updated the San Francisco
Countywide Transportation Plan in 2004 to explore the
idea of congestion pricing in 2006. Congestion pricing
is a tax incentive tool that is used to discourage
drivers from driving and parking in certain parts of the
city during specific times of the day. Written in Fall
2007, this paper looks at the policy process of
implementing congestion pricing in San Francisco, and
considers potential problems during the formulation and
adoption stages.
The Role of the Judicial System in the Policy Process
As an institutional player in the policymaking process, the U.S. Supreme Court is able to make policy through judicial activism. The appropriate role of the Court is questioned. Three main dilemmas are identified- democracy, institutional role, and judicial capacity. Despite its ability to make this power decisions, the Court’s power is limited by legitimacy and its inability to enforce and implement its decisions.
