Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers and Fiscal Capacity

An intergovernmental fiscal transfer is an instrument used by governments to equalize fiscal capacity. However, with the large discrepancies in fiscal capacity among Local Authorities (LAs) in Kenya, it is evident that the intention of the instrument has not been met. These disparities lead to inequity as some LAs receive better services for their tax, while others do not.

Using panel data from 2001-2006 among 22 LAs, the Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF) was found to be high in LAs that had substantial fiscal capacities. This suggests the need to revise the formula used in computing LATF.     

US Women Federal Court Judges Appointed by President Carter

There is considerable disagreement as to whether any gender differences on the bench are symbolic, substantive, or both. This paper, based on never-before published surveys and personal interviews conducted in the early 1980s, contributes to that discussion by describing what women appointed to the federal bench by President Carter between 1976 and 1980 had to say about gender differences in their first years in office. I conclude that these early experiences and comments by women on the bench are still relevant today and presage much of the research on judicial gender which has followed.

Intergovernmental transfers and fiscal equalization across the north-eastern states of India: Evidence from panel data

While numerous studies have tried to analyze the impact of intergovernmental transfers in fostering fiscal equalization in India, there need to be more studies in the context of north-eastern (NE) states. Situating in a geographically isolated and economically backward region, the states of NE India depend heavily on central fiscal transfers to meet expenditures and to promote various economic activities in the region. One of the essential objectives of these transfers is to achieve fiscal equity. Hence, the study attempts to analyze the fiscal equalizing nature of the intergovernmental transfers across NE India during 1991–2019. The coefficient of variation (CV) analysis results indicates that although fiscal transfers reduced the magnitude of disparity in the own-source revenue across the NE states, a significant amount of disparity still exists in the resource base across these states. The regression analysis findings suggest that the transfers across these states need to be more fiscal equalizing. The per capita gross state domestic product emerges as a positive and significant in predicting per capita transfers, and hence it questions the progressivity of central transfers. When assigning the interstate share of transfers, more weight should be placed on fiscal equalizing factors such as per capita income. The Finance Commission of India should emphasize fiscal equalizing criteria when allocating weights and recommending transfers to the NE States. Additionally, states with low incomes should be recognized in plan schemes.     

国外政府机构设置的做法和经验

世界各国中央政府机构的设置情况,既有各自特点,也有一些共同做法。考察分析这些共同做法,有助于了解国外政府机构设置的经验,为我国的政府机构改革提供参考和借鉴。本文选取了九个国家作为分析对象,对各国中央政府的机构设置进行了梳理,尤其对美国、英国、日本和德国的做法进行了较为详细的介绍,探讨了各国中央政府机构设置的一般做法和趋势。     

The Effects of Legal and Extralegal Factors on Detention Decisions in US District Courts

The Bail Reform Act of 1984 changed the law dictating release and detention decisions in federal court. Since its passage, few studies have examined judicial decision-making in this context. Legal research enables us to account for the structure and interpretation of federal detention laws and to analyze previously neglected measures of legal factors in our analyses. We use US Sentencing Commission data on a sample of defendants who were sentenced in 2007 (N?=?31,043). We find that legal factors—particularly length of criminal history, having committed a violent or otherwise serious offense, and having committed the offense while under supervision of the criminal justice system—have the strongest relationships with the presentence detention outcome. A defendant’s age, race, and ethnicity have weaker relationships with detention. When we compare defendants who are similarly situated with respect to legal factors, the probability of detention is similar regardless of age, race, and ethnicity.     

Interest Arbitration in the Federal Service

The binding decisions of the Federal Service Impasses Panel are examined through logistic regression and discriminate function analysis. A sample of eighty-four issues decided by the Panel between 1987 and 1999 were coded for content to identify factors influencing Panel decision making. Seven standards are posited as having influence over Panel decisions. The article concludes that the decision processes of the Panel are subject to various arguments used by labor and management, and the impact of these processes on Panel decision making varies by party. Further, final offer procedures are the dominant procedure used by the Panel. Finally, it appears the Panel may weight the arguments of the parties differently depending on the issue in dispute.     

俄西伯利亚联邦区与中国省区经贸合作形势分析

中俄两国首脑倡导和支持地方合作,并就协调两国地方发展战略,提高双方合作水平达成共识。俄西伯利亚联邦区的对外经贸重点转向中国,与中国省区,特别是与中国毗邻省区的经贸关系发展迅速。两国地区间互利双赢的合作,将有利于各自的经济发展战略的实施,促进共同发展繁荣。     

La concrétisation législative des initiatives populaires fédérales acceptées en votation: un processus aux outputs très incertains

L'étude des processus de concrétisation législative des rares initiatives populaires fédérales adoptées en votation a été négligée par la recherche politologique. Dans une démarche exploratoire, en abordant l'initiative “pour l'internement à vie” et en recourant à des études de cas traitant des initiatives “des Alpes” et “de Rothenthurm”, le contenu de ces dispositions constitutionnelles est comparé avec leurs outputs législatifs d'exécution. Les résultats mettent en lumière l'issue difficilement prévisible de ces processus: les lois d'application ne correspondent pas toujours aux souhaits des initiants tels qu'inscrits dans la Constitution. Paradoxalement, alors que la majorité des Chambres fédérales est généralement opposée aux initiatives populaires, c'est précisément au parlement que revient la charge de concrétiser celles qui sont acceptées par le peuple et les cantons.     

远东联邦区土地私有化的发展

在俄罗斯私有化改革已经进行了十多年,但土地私有化一直是非常复杂的问题之一,人们对土地私有化的看法不一。普京总统执政后,俄终于彻底解决了这个问题,土地可以自由买卖了。远东联邦区的土地私有化速度比其他地区慢一些,也遇到了一些问题。