PARTISAN PROBING AND DEMOCRATIC DECISION-MAKING - RETHINKING THE NIMBY SYNDROME

In this paper, I focus on Minnesota's unsuccessful attempt to site a h azardous waste stabilization and containment facility, but argue that this should not be seen as another siting failure due to irrational an d self-interested citizens who subverted a well-conceived and essentia l disposal facility. Through a detailed comparison of citizen and elit e claims about the facility. I show that many of the sources of disagr eement between citizens and siting officials involve value trade-offs rather than technical issues, and contend that state officials' views on these matters should not take precedence. Through ''partisan probin g,'' citizens actually contribute to effective policymaking rather tha n detract from it.