Decentralization,Local Government,and the Welfare State

Despite growing interest in decentralized governance, the local government systems that comprise the most common element of decentralization around the world have received little systematic attention. This article, drawing on the first systematic index of decentralization to local government in 21 countries, demonstrates a close relation between Social Democratic welfare states and an intergovernmental infrastructure that in important respects ranks as the most decentralized among advanced industrial countries. This empowerment of local government in these countries was less an outgrowth of Social Democratic welfare state development than a preexisting condition that helped make this type of welfare state possible.     

Explaining Interest Rates in Local Government Borrowing

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the usefulness of municipal accounting information in the interest rates agreed on by financial institutions in the European context. Most of the literature has focused on municipal bonds, mainly in the United States. Our core contribution is to study which factors determine the interest rates on bank loans to municipalities. This framework is different, since there is neither a secondary bond market nor credit ratings, and therefore information asymmetry is higher. Specifically, we investigate if municipal financial indicators and financial reports’ quality have an influence on interest rates paid by Spanish municipalities in the period 2001–2008. Our empirical results indicate that, in general, the municipal financial situation exerts an influence on the credit policy of lenders, who charge a risk premium to those municipalities with less current surplus, which is an indicator of the municipality's saving ability. Furthermore, there is also some inertia in the municipal annual interest rate (year t ? 1 interest determines around 27% of year t interest). Other findings indicate that high levels of expenditures and debt per capita increase the interest cost of municipal borrowing. Finally, municipalities that disclose full detailed financial reports pay less interest because information asymmetry and transaction costs are lower.     

Corporatization in the Public Sector: Explaining the Growth of Local Government Companies

The creation of companies by local governments to provide public services—referred to as “corporatization”—is an example of systemic public entrepreneurship that is popular across the world. To build knowledge of the antecedents of public sector entrepreneurship, the authors investigate the factors that lead local governments to create companies for public service delivery. Using zero-inflated negative binomial regressions to analyze secondary data from 150 major English local governments for 2010–16, the authors find that governments with higher levels of grant dependence and debt dependence are more involved in the creation and operation of companies, as are larger governments. Further analysis reveals that very low and very high managerial capabilities are strongly associated with more involvement in profit-making companies, while local government involvement in companies is more prevalent in deprived areas. At the same time, government ownership of companies is more common in areas with high economic output.     

Local Government Failure in Australia? An Empirical Analysis of New South Wales

The complexities of contemporary local governance in Australia and other advanced democracies provide social scientists with significant theoretical and empirical challenges. Drawing on recent developments, including public choice theory, economists have sought to develop taxonomic systems of government failure specifically tailored to local government circumstances. This paper seeks to extend the Dollery and Wallis (2001b) taxonomy of local government failure by invoking Olson's (1965) concept of political entrepreneurship. The paper then attempts to determine the empirical validity of the augmented taxonomy by examining it in the context of NSW local government.     

区域协调发展与地方政府制度创新

地方政府制度对区域协调发展的影响,既包括地方政府制度创新对区域发展的积极作用,也包括地方政府制度创新异化对区域发展的负面影响。促进区域发展以及实现区域间协调发展需要规范地方政府制度创新的思路:即从推动本地区经济发展的角度来看,地方政府制度创新的目的在于提升地方政府的效能,为本地区经济发展提供一个好的环境;从推动区域协调发展上看,地方政府制度创新要有助于协调好地方政府间关系,有助于区域经济整体的发展。     

Local Government and Strategies for Decentralization in the "State of the Autonomies"

The convergent forces of democratization, decentralization,the welfare state, and international integration have made Spanishlocal governments similar to their equivalents in other partsof Europe. Nevertheless, local governments are the most poorlydefined part of the post-Franco puzzle of reform. This articletraces the history and development of Spanish local governmentwithin the emerging state of the autonomies, and examines theirambivalent position and uncertain future. Despite the greatertransformative emphasis on building federal arrangements throughthe autonomous communities, local governments play importantroles in establishing self-rule and shared rule.     

Can Decentralization Limit Government Growth? A Test of the Leviathan Hypothesis for the Indian Federation

Decentralization in India has only recently gained momentum,particularly with the 73^rd and 74^th amendments in 1992, whichextended constitutional recognition to local governments. Againstthis backdrop, this article examines the Leviathan hypothesisput forth by Brennan and Buchanan for the Indian economy. Thehypothesis asserts that total government intrusion into theeconomy should be smaller when taxes and expenditure are decentralized.A caveat to the Leviathan hypothesis is the Collusion hypothesis,which suggests that the disciplining impact of decentralizationcan be nullified if revenue decentralization does not keep pacewith expenditure decentralization and if there is an increasein dependence on intergovernmental grants. Empirical testingfor the Indian federation vindicates both hypotheses, thus suggestingthat a two-pronged strategy is required if government growthis to be checked. More effort must be made to strengthen localbodies. This must be accompanied by a close look at intergovernmentaltransfers and by an attempt to restrict their growth.     

中国地方政府独特的竞争模式:一种经验性分析框架——兼论规范地方政府竞争的途径

改革开放以来的经济分权和政治晋升制度致使中国地方政府“为增长而竞争”,从而形成了独特的竞争模式。为了吸引更多的流动性资源,发展地方经济,各地政府在生产、交换和消费过程中展开形式多样的制度竞争,表现为财政税收竞争、公共支出竞争和规制竞争等形式,由此产生各种积极的和消极的后果。另一方面,地方政府竞争是在一系列约束下发生的,通过改变约束条件,可以更好地规范地方政府竞争行为。     

Civic Engagement and Education: An Empirical Test of the Sorting Model

According to the sorting model of education, the impact of education on civic engagement is relative, rather than absolute. Education correlates with greater engagement because it is a marker of social status; the degree of status conferred by your level of education is determined by the average level of education within your environment. This article tests the sorting model by paying strict heed to its assumptions. The analysis confirms the model, but considerably narrows its reach. Sorting applies only to one particular type (electoral activity), only when the educational environment accounts for variation across age and place, and only when one models the interactive relationship between education at the individual and environmental levels. Furthermore, sorting applies more to men than women. The same analytical framework demonstrates that being in a more highly educated environment amplifies the relationship between education and democratic enlightenment (political knowledge and tolerance).     

Shared Services in Australian Local Government: Rationale, Alternative Models and Empirical Evidence

Widespread enthusiasm amongst Australian policy elites for structural reform in local government has evaporated as disappointing outcomes of council amalgamation programs became evident. As a consequence, emphasis has now shifted towards shared serviced models as a means of enhancing service provision and reducing costs. However, a disturbing feature of the current debate on shared services has been the absence of a well-articulated economic and political rationale for this form of service delivery, a lack of analysis of alternative models of shared service provision and a neglect of available empirical evidence. This article seeks to remedy these deficiencies by considering the analytical foundations of shared local services, conducting a review of alternative models as vehicles for shared services and evaluating available empirical evidence.     

长三角地方政府在区域经济一体化中的作用分析

在我国现行体制下,政府间合作是推动区域经济一体化进程的关键力量。在区域经济合作中,地方政府有潜在的利益。因而,地方政府的行为是促进区域经济一体化的关键变量。以长三角为例,我们看出地方政府在推动区域经济一体化中的作用表现为:地方政府的合作共识是区域经济一体化的前提;制度层的整合是推动区域经济一体化的关键。但我们也看到,区域经济一体化仍处于起步探索阶段,各层属的合作没有上升到制度层面,并不稳定,其主要表现为:区域内各政府的合作意识已经达成,但缺乏统一的合作战略;区域经济合作的制度化程度低。需要改进的应有以下方面:中央政府应在区域经济一体化中发挥积极作用,为其提供良好的制度环境;要建立各层次的正式、规范的区域协调机构;充分发挥非政府组织上的作用,加强民间交流。     

把握深化“放管服”改革优化政务服务的重点

目前实践中关于优化政务服务改革的政策措施和经验做法基本上是围绕着以下框架进行:一是明确政务服务项目(提供什么服务),二是提升政务服务基本要求(提供什么样的服务),三是合理确定政务服务的主体(由谁提供服务),四是合理确定政务服务的对象(向谁提供服务),五是改进政务服务的提供方式(如何提供服务),六是加强政务服务的保障(如何保障服务的提供)。     

An Analysis of Introducing Program Budgeting in Local Government

Program budgeting has been in use for 30 years. It has had a checkered history, being considered alternately a great advancement or an unworkable system. Little has been written about the consequences for the organization that has adopted it. This study was undertaken concerning local government across the State of Victoria, Australia. A questionnaire was sent to all municipalities. There was a 60 percent response rate. Results show that information generated by planning programming budgeting (PPB) is used for decision making but in a limited way. The proposition that PPB will have an impact on the operations of councils is only partially supported.     

地方政府创新的驱动模式——地方政府干部视角的考察

由地方政府推动的创新是一个国家政治体制改革的风向标,地方政府创新的发展特征可以展现出这个国家的政治文化和政治发展活力.以"中国地方政府创新奖2007-2008"年度20个地方政府创新获奖项目为研究单位,通过问卷调查收集和分析地方政府干部对本地政府创新项目的认知和态度,从创新动因、创新动力和阻力、创新价值取向、创新的参与性和可持续性五个方面出发,得出研究结论:由地方政府推动的改革创新具有突出的"低风险取向",创新过程中公共参与不足,地方领导的"精英作用"和基层政策空间是推动地方政府创新的主体力量,创新的可持续性也主要取决于能否获得体制内的认可和支持.本文的研究方法和研究结论为观察和判断中国政府改革和政治发展提供了新的视角和信息.     

An Evaluation of Local Government Websites in New Zealand

Abstract

The study assesses the effectiveness of New Zealand local government Websites in providing equitable and appropriate access to government information. All local government Websites that could be identified were evaluated using 37 criteria, and visitors to approximately half of these sites were surveyed to determine their perceptions of the effectiveness of the sites. Results show that although there is a good range of information provided on the better sites, some smaller regional or district councils sites provide little in the way of basic information to their citizens. The study also found a limited range of transactional services available on New Zealand local government Websites, and a widespread lack of disabled-enabled access to sites, along with poor provision for user privacy and security. User comments focused on the need for more information and more up-to-date information to be provided, and better search facilities on sites. Although over 90% of users approached a particular site seeking specific information, less than half were able to find the information they sought. Significant indigenous and ethnic minority groups were underrepresented among users. The study concludes that there is room for considerable improvement in the use of the Web as a primary communication and transaction channel within the context of the government's vision for extending e-government in New Zealand to local government and Other agencies.     

Participatory Budgeting in Australian Local Government: An Initial Assessment and Critical Issues

Participatory budgeting (PB), a process whereby governments seek direct input from citizens into financial decisions, is gaining a foothold in the community engagement practices of Australian local governments. Following questions of definition, we survey the theoretical terrain, locating PB within several components of local democracy. We then provide details of six PB processes in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. We identify several questions for the future of PB in Australian local governments, including the role of deliberative practices as part of the broader work of councils, the issue of the adaptability of councils and leaders, the impacts upon state and local governments, and the role of third parties. The article concludes by reflecting on how PB sits with democratic practices at the local level if it continues to be implemented.     

中央与地方政府及地方政府间利益关系分析

利益关系是中央与地方政府及地方政府间关系的核心。而在转型时期,地方政府自身特性发生了巨大变化,其经济人、政治人属性日渐增长,由此决定了中央与地方政府利益博弈关系更加激烈;地区利益的本位主义更是成了地方政府利益关系的本质特征,并导致了地方政府行为异化的现象。而要解决这些问题,必须在市场机制调节的基础上,依靠制度变迁,通过中央及地方政府的共同努力,实现彼此利益关系的均衡。