Faculty
J. Edwin Benton
Professor
Contact
Home Campus: Tampa
Office: SOC 367
Email
Bio
A native of South Carolina, J. Edwin Benton is a Professor of Political Science and Public Administration, having received a B.A. and M.A. in 1971 and 1974, respectively, from the University of South Carolina and his Ph.D. in Government from Florida State University in 1978. Before coming to USF in 1979, he was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of Northern Iowa (1978-79).
As to his research and scholarship, Professor Benton has written extensively about state and local government and politics, generally’ and county government, in particular, urban government and politics, city-county consolidation, intergovernmental relations (IGR), generally, and IGR fiscal relations and state-local relations, in particular, intergovernmental fiscal behavior, federalism, political behavior, public opinion, and voting behavior, and political polarization. His articles have appeared in top-ranked academic journals such as Public Administration Review, Social Science Quarterly, Urban Affairs Review, Journal of Urban Affairs, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Public Opinion Quarterly, Public Budgeting & Finance, Journal of Public Administration Theory and Practice, State and Local Government Review, and American Review of Public Administration, while he has also written book chapters in numerous edited volumes. His books include Intergovernmental Relations and Public Policy, 1986, with David R. Morgan and winner of the Aaron Wildavsky Award), Counties as Service Delivery Agents (2002), Government and Politics in Florida, (2026, now in (in its 4th edition), Revenues Sources for Local Governments: Persisting Challenges and Emerging Opportunities (2024, winner of the Best Book Award, given by the American Society for Public Administration’s Section on Budgeting and Finance in 2025), and The Elgar Encyclopedia of Local and Regional Governments: A Global Perspective (forthcoming (forthcoming 2027, with John Kincaid). In addition, he is the author or co-author of over 50 technical/grant reports/white papers for state and local governments, local government associations, and non-profit organizations, and in January 2009, he contributed to an Alliance for Innovation white paper (Navigating the Fiscal Crisis: Tested Strategies for Local Leaders) for the ICMA. Dr. Benton is the recipient of two prestigious scholarly awards: (1) the Donald C. Stone Distinguished Scholar Award given in 2025 by the American Society for Public Administration Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management (SIAM) for significant contributions to the study of intergovernmental relations (IGR) over a substantial period of time and contributions that have made an impact on the study of intergovernmental management as a whole rather than only on a specific organization, institution, or function and (2) the Manning J. Dauer Award given 2009 by the Florida Political Science Association for Excellence in basic and applied research on government and politics in Florida. In has also received two highly-esteemed professional awards: (1) Award given in 2012 for thirty-two years of outstanding service to the Florida Political Science Association (1980-2012) in the capacity as Executive Board member, Newsletter Assistant Editor and Editor, Local Arrangements Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, 2nd Vice-President, 1st Vice-President and Program Chair, and President; and (2) SIAM Legacy Award given in 2017 by the American Society for Public Administration Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management (SIAM) for the following significant contributions to the academic literature on federalism/intergovernmental relations, participation in a wide variety of assignments as part of SIAM; and demonstration of an active role in mentoring young professionals at the start of their careers.
Professionally, Dr. Benton has served on the editorial board of State and Local Government Review, Public Administration Review (the flagship journal of the academic discipline of public administration), American Review of Public Administration, and Florida Political Chronicle, and as an advisory board member of the National Center for the Study of Counties at the University of Georgia, and as a Senior Fellow at both the Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government at the University of Central Florida and the Morrison Center for Public Policy at Arizona State University From 2011-2021, he was the Managing of the academic journal, State and Local Government Review (Sage publication). In 2009 and 2013, respectively. Since his arrival at USF, he has been appointed to a number of civic boards in Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa, as well as in Georgetown, South Carolina. Moreover, he has testified before county, city, and state commissions (including committees in the Florida Legislature). In addition, Dr. Benton has been a frequent commentator for local, state, national, and international news media outlets and most recently was quoted in articles appearing in USA Today, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Chicago Herald Tribune, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal, the London Times, La Monde in Paris and several papers in Denmark.
With respect to teaching, Professor Benton has regularly taught the state and local government and politics course almost every semester (or quarter) and also in summer terms (until recent years) since coming to USF. In addition, he still teaches the Florida government and politics and the political behavior, public opinion, and elections course once a year. On occasion, he also teaches undergraduate courses in American national government, local government, governing urban areas, government and the economy, and introduction to public administration. At the graduate levels he still offers courses in state government and politics, intergovernmental relations, public budgeting, public administration theory and practice, policy analysis and program evaluation, and the environment and public administration
Research
State and local government and politics, state-local and interlocal relations, county government, city-county consolidation, urban government and politics, local government finances, federal aid and intergovernmental fiscal behavior, education, welfare, and housing policy, and policy analysis and program evaluation