Independent Local Government Research Articles

The Present and Future of Local Self-Government in the Republic of Kazakhstan

After the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Kazakhstan’s policymakers recognized that the existing model of state governance had proved ineffective and needed to be changed. One of the necessary solutions was to carry out decentralization. The primary purpose of the following article is to outline the barriers that Kazakhstan needs to remove if it is serious about building local self-government independence. Confronting these with the President’s vision of the transformation of local self-government led to the following research questions: What organizational and legal issues remain unresolved or constitute a barrier to the construction of independent local government structures in the Republic of Kazakhstan after the collapse of the Soviet Union?; to what extent do the changes proposed by President Kasym Tokayev meet the real challenges in the context of expanding the autonomy of local power structures? Answering the questions posed was possible by analyzing legal acts and finding literature and press materials.

The multi-level governance of the European Union: the role of the local government

Local development is an integral part of the progress of a country. It directly affects the improvement of their citizens’ life. The role of the local government is to provide better services and more effective governing by bringing the government closer to its citizens and providing a better understanding of their needs. Good governance is about efficiency, democracy, and accountability, that is principles of the foundation of an independent and competent local government. The following paper takes a closer look at the multilevel government of the European Union, focusing on the importance and role of the local government. This paper points out all the aspects of cooperation between the smallest units of government of each member state and the European Union, to show the ways in which it affects and improves governance at these two levels. This paper explains the mutual role of these two levels of government (multi-level governance) and analyzes the principle of subsidiarity, the political and institutional aspects of how this cooperation was created, and what effects it brings.

Regional governments in the rural space: the effectiveness of dual-tier regional councils

ABSTRACT The fiscal decentralization literature explores the efficient structure of local governments. However, little consideration has been given to the efficient structure of rural local governments. In this study we show that a dual-tier local government structure in rural areas is more efficient than the prevalent unitary structure. Specifically, we demonstrate that a regional council that incorporates many small villages is more efficient than when each village operates as an independent local government. We present a theoretical model and provide a simulation of the model using Israeli municipal data, which combines both unitary and dual-tier structures. The simulation uses the unitary small towns as the training set and the villages within regional councils as the test set. It thus calculates the cost structure of villages within regional councils based on the data of unitary small towns. The results indicate that most villages that are part of a regional council operate more efficiently than their simulated independent unitary counterparts. Based on the findings, we suggest an alternative lower level local government structure for rural communities that adds a mezzanine dual-tier structure.

The Multi-Level Governance of the European Union: The Role of the Local Government

Local development is an integral part of the progress of a country. It directly affects the improvement of their citizens’ life. The role of the local government is to provide better services and more effective governing by bringing the government closer to its citizens and providing a better understanding of their needs. Good governance is about efficiency, democracy, and accountability, that is principles of the foundation of an independent and competent local government. The following paper takes a closer look at the multilevel government of the European Union, focusing on the importance and role of the local government. This paper points out all the aspects of cooperation between the smallest units of government of each member state and the European Union, to show the ways in which it affects and improves governance at these two levels. This paper explains the mutual role of these two levels of government (multi-level governance) and analyzes the principle of subsidiarity, the political and institutional aspects of how this cooperation was created, and what effects it brings.

A critical review of the fair value of land in Kerala, India

PurposeProperty tax continues to be the most viable, steady, progressive and genuine source of income for an independent local government administration in India. Kerala has one of the most complex cadastral and property taxation systems in the country. In 2008, the Kerala government introduced “Fair value of land” for all landed property in Kerala, which is calculated per Are and notified by the Government of Kerala on the website. This paper presents the outcome of the spatial mapping of the fair value of land in Kerala and its comparison with actual land value collected through advertisements and surveys.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology used in this study analyzed the existing fair value system of land valuation in Kerala and identified its drawbacks. Fair value is integrated into cadastral data in geographical information system (GIS) and spatially analyzed to identify the discrepancies in fair value fixation. The actual land value for 837 locations is collected from online advertisements and verified through a field survey. A paired t-test analysis follows this to compare the fair value and actual land value of the study area.FindingsThe disparity between the original land value and the registration value in Kerala has resulted in the undervaluation of land resources by the government. The fair value fixed by the government is significantly lower than the actual land value based on the statistical comparison results. It is observed that the actual land value is multiple times higher than the government fixed land value. Also, the spatial distribution of the village level fair value shows the randomness in fixation and abnormalities existing at numerous locations.Practical implicationsThe results indicate that the traditional comparison method used for fair value calculation by the Kerala government is not suitable in Indian scenarios due to the unreliability of registration values. The study thus points to the importance of developing a scientific method for determining the land value that would consider various spatially influencing parameters.Originality/valueThe current study provided an in-depth analysis of the land valuation system of the Kerala government. The strengths and weaknesses of the existing system are analyzed through statistical methods.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BETWEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND CENTRAL LEGISLATION – HOW FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT CAN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BE

Rights and responsibilities of local governments are defined by the central legislature, in accordance with the given country’s rules, traditions, institutions of constitutional and administrative law. To perform public duties they need financial resources, incomes and wealth. Above these, the right of disposition, financial and economic autonomy have to be provided, moreover, the possibility to receive suitable subsidies from central budget. The proportion and guarantees of the income are important too, as the autonomy of local governments depending from central subsidies may be injured. The question of primary importance is that where are the limits of the mentioned autonomy, protected by various constitutional provisions and international legal documents, how the legislature is able to control the law of taxation, to enter transactions that give rise to debts, or how to withdraw different resources from local governments. The central withdrawal and reallocation of resources may raise the issue of local government solidarity. As well as the extent to which the property and income of local governments can be limited. According to the practice of the various constitutional courts and the supreme courts (American, French, German and Hungarian judicature), the rights and authorities of local governments are not unlimited. Although, local governments have to get effective protection, but after all it is the state who determines the content and the framework of relevant legal regulations for local governments. Therefore, within the constitutional framework, the central legislature has a serious opportunity to intervene in protected autonomy by withdrawing or reallocating revenues, assets or subsidies. The research method of the study is primarily financial and administrative legal analysis and legal comparison: in addition to international, constitutional and legal (American, German, French, Hungarian) rules, the basic characteristics of local government financial autonomy are presented based on the principles worked out in various Supreme Court and Constitutional Court decisions elements, as well as the limitations that said autonomy must face as a result of the decisions of the central legislature. The subject of the research is the financial autonomy of local governments and its legal limitations, which point out that autonomy - unfortunately, cannot be unlimited. Local taxation, own revenues and subsidies can indeed provide adequate foundations for independent local government management, however, since local governments must adapt in the state’s central system of public administration and public finances, therefore, within the constitutional framework, the central legislation can make decisions that adversely affect their incomes, budgets and assets.

The Merit System Development to Actualising Career Establishment of Civil Apparatus in East Java Province Government

This research determines the civil servant's career development after implementing the merit system in the East Java Provincial Government. This research took place at the East Java Province Regional Personnel Agency in Planning, Procurement, Data Processing, and ASN Information Systems. The descriptive qualitative approach was used in this study to determine professional personnel management with civil servant placement and government officials by applying performance competencies and track records as measurement instruments. However, the merit system has not been optimized by the Regional Government. If this system is fully implemented, local governments can obtain professional figures who have good performance. The practices that come off are the politicization of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN). The new regional leader usually exposes the staff along with their acquaintance or election success team. Everything is still related to returning the favor or revenge. So, it is necessary to apply a merit system in independent Local Government administration that is KKN-free. This research explored how the Merit System implementation in State Civil Apparatuses affects career growth and how the elements influencing Merit System application can increase transparency in ASN career development. The goal of this research is to create a professional environment within the regional government.

On the Management and Financial Resources Formation of Local Budgets

The purpose of the study is to determine the role and significance of measures for the management of financial resources of local budgets. The objectives of the study include: conducting a theoretical study of management issues and the formation of financial resources of local budgets, studying the financial reports of the regions of Kazakhstan, statistical processing of the data obtained.Materials and methods. In the process of preparing the article, the issues of introducing the fourth level of the budget, on the participation of citizens in budget planning were considered. The authors analyzed the financial reports of the regions for the execution of the 2019 budget. In the process of preparing the materials for the article, the authors used the information of the website of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan, analytical statistical materials, and scientific works of scientists of Kazakhstan.The following research methods were used in the work: theoretical (analysis, synthesis, generalization), empirical (observation), statistical analysis, etc.Results. The public financial management system, in particular, has been the subject of large-scale reforms in recent years aimed at strengthening the country’s strategic development potential. In recent years, the orientation of budget planning to results has noticeably improved. The priorities of the “model of socio-economic development of the country” are agreed by the government and put forward by the Ministry of National Economy, and are duly reflected in the annual strategic plan of each ministry. Based on recent reforms, the programs outlined in the strategic plans are broadly aligned with the budget programs of the ministries, and management responsibilities in each province have been clarified.In recent years, important changes have occurred in relation to access to information, an online portal “Open Budgets” was developed, a civil budget was introduced, and centralized guidelines for their preparation were presented.Since 2018, Kazakhstan has introduced a fourth budget level for local governments. 90% of these budgets are formed from taxes and payments by residents themselves. Since January 1, 2020, in the cities of regional significance, villages, settlements and rural districts of the Republic of Kazakhstan with a population of 2,000 people and below, an independent local government budget has been introduced. In 2020, the corporate income tax (CIT) from small and medium-sized businesses as a revenue item was transferred from the republican budget to the local one. Thus, CIT receipts will be credited to the republican budget only from large business entities. Also, the maslikhats (local representative body) of the regions have the right to establish the standard for the distribution of CIT from small and medium-sized businesses between the regional and district budgets.Conclusion. Effective management of budgetary resources in accordance with the current budget policy should be guided by the implementation of the general goals facing the country’s budget system: impact on economic growth and employment, ensuring the economic and political functions of the state.The main priority in planning government revenues and expenditures is the well-being of citizens of Kazakhstan, namely, their social support, health and education, as well as creating conditions for high-quality post-crisis economic growth. Therefore, it is especially important to note the role and importance of measures to manage financial resources of local budgets.

Beyond Institutional Collective Action: Why and When Do Metropolitan Governments Collaborate?

The essay explores why and when metropolitan governments collaborate beyond the assumptions of the Institutional Collective Action (ICA) framework. It claims that metropolitan governments not only create collaborative arrangements after comparing their costs and benefits, or when spontaneously their agendas get aligned. This article argues that the success of metropolitan interlocal collaboration also rests on the proclivity to collaboration of independent local governments’ institutional structures, which, in turn, depends on how local governments and their management capabilities have been shaped and evolved, both individually and comparatively with neighboring governments. Additionally, the article classifies and explains four basic models of metropolitan collaborative arrangements.

The Last Stages of Gentrification: Washington, DC, Mayoral Elections and Housing Advocacy

ABSTRACTFor seven decades from the establishment of home rule and largely independent local government in Washington, DC, mayoral politics, as well as socioeconomic change in city life, have been substantially defined by efforts to protect housing access and to protect vulnerable African American communities against the loss of their homes. Housing policy and racial sensitivity have been intertwined in a on-again off-again struggle against persistent gentrification. The mayoral politics seem to be successful only when factors of racial/economic inequality are integrated with housing policy. Ironically, the more narrow the emphasis on low income housing, the more sensitive has been the decline of black residential retention in the city. To some extent, low-income housing policy has become a public warning against the rising tide of gentrification.

State Independent Electoral Commissions and local government elections in Nigeria

Many state governments have not been allowing their State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to conduct elections as at when due but rather settle for ‘caretaker committees’. Where elections have been conducted, the party in control of a state apparatus has been known to have cleared the polls. The general objective of this study is to assess the impact of electoral contest at the local government level on the political development of Nigeria. Specific objectives include (1) assessing the role of the political executives of a state in the determination of representation at the local government level in Nigeria; and (2) assessing the activities of SIECs in the management of local government polls. This study adopts comparative cum case study approach to analysing local government polls in Nigeria. This is discussed on a geopolitical basis. Some of the findings of the study include: (1) local government election in Nigeria is not given premium position by many state governments in the political landscape of their state because of the fear of playing into the hands of their political rivals; and (2) SIECs are only independent in name and not in practice. The study recommends, among others, that (1) the country should adopt the arrangement in the aborted Third Republic where the country’s EMB was empowered to conduct all elections at all levels of government and (2) local government elections in Nigeria should key into the electoral process of the country in all ramifications.

Fewer, Bigger – Stronger? The Political Consequences of Local Government Mergers in Switzerland

Local Government (LG) mergers are an increasingly common phenomenon, and yet surprisingly little research has looked into their political consequences. This article advances the hypothesis that where LG mergers lead to fewer but bigger entities, vertical influence increases at the expense of collective lobbying and in favour of more direct, personal interventions at higher political echelons. To test these two propositions, a cross-sectional analysis of all Swiss cantons as 26 independent LG systems is followed by a qualitative, longitudinal study of a single canton.The implications from both types of analysis are that in terms of LG mergers one is well advised to not only think horizontally but also vertically, i.e. as regards the functions and influence of (the new) municipalities. Normatively speaking, one might either want to encourage or block the direct representation of lower level polities.

How can states ensure access to personal assistance when service delivery is decentralized? A multi-level analysis of Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Article 19 of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires states to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to a range of support services, including personal assistance. The Convention is an agreement between state parties and the UN. However, in practice, disability services are often implemented at the local level. Drawing on the findings of qualitative research in Iceland, Norway and Sweden, this paper examines a paradox whereby states commit to ensure access to support services, but decentralize responsibility to autonomous and independent local governments. A multi-level governance framework is applied to analyse the findings of qualitative inquiry with policy-makers, local government officials and leaders of independent living organizations in all three Nordic countries. A multi-level analysis highlights the tensions and contradictions between decentralization and human rights commitments.

The Optimal Size of Local Government, with Special Reference to New South Wales

IntroductionIn the last 20 years, the three eastern Australian states of Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) have significantly reduced the number of local councils. In the mid-1990s, Victoria slashed the number of local councils from 210 to 79. In 2008, Queensland reduced the number from 156 to 73 but, with four de-amalgamations in 2014, the number is now 77. As of May 2016 the NSW Government had reduced the number of councils from 152 to 129 and, at the time of writing, plans to amalgamate another 19 councils subject to the outcome of legal proceedings.These amalgamations have occurred despite much local opposition and notwithstanding that Australian local governments have an average population of 41,000, which is large by most international standards. The average population is 75,000 in Victoria and 50,000 in NSW. Among 22 'Western' countries (in Europe, North America and Australasia) only local governments in the UK, Ireland, Denmark and New Zealand have larger populations. On the other hand, the average population per local authority is 37,500 in the Netherlands, 32,500 in Sweden, 9,000 in Canada, 6,500 in Germany, 4,500 in the United States and only 1,500 in France.2 And it may be remarked that in terms of land size, Australian local governments are also considerably larger than local governments in the UK, Ireland, Denmark and New Zealand.In this paper, I discuss the major issues relating to the size of local government, examining four major criteria:1. Strategic capacity to work with higher levels of government2. Economic efficiency, sometimes described as financial capacity3. Effective provision of preferred local services4. Effective local democracy and social capital.The first of these has had special prominence in NSW. The other three are classic criteria in the economics literature. It should be noted that in NSW there has also been much rhetoric about the need for 'scale' in local government. The Independent Local Government Review Panel (ILGRP 2013a, 2013b) argued that at least 200,000 people are necessary for strategic and financial capacity. Likewise, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART 2015), following terms of reference imposed by the NSW Government, concluded that most councils in NSW were 'not fit for the future' because they lacked requisite scale of some 200,000 people. However, scale is not itself a welfare objective. It is simply a possible means to achieve other objectives. Rather surprisingly, in reviewing the criteria, IPART (2014) provided no justification for accepting the scale criterion.While the paper draws on the NSW Government's policies to increase the size of local councils, most of its discussion and conclusions have general application both across Australia and internationally.State and local government relations, and 'strategic capacity'The criterion that local councils must have the strategic capacity to work with higher levels of government has had a high profile in the debate in NSW. Justifying the recommendations of the ILGRP that local councils should be amalgamated into units of around 200,000 people, the Chair, Graham Sansom (ILGRP 2015: 65), stated: 'The ILGRP's concerns were with the effectiveness of local government as an arm of metropolitan governance.' The rationale is that local councils should have the capacity to assist with metropolitan planning and the provision of adequate transport and housing infrastructure.In this section I discuss first some major governance issues for urban areas (urban planning, housing and transport) and then some micro criteria for strategic capacity advanced by the ILGRP.A major motivator of the state government's desire to halve the number of councils in Sydney is the desire to address the problems of high house prices and transport congestion. House prices in Sydney are 40 per cent higher than the average in other Australian capital cities (Reserve Bank of Australia 2015). …

Learning from Experience inNSW?

While the bulk of the empirical evidence shows that municipal mergers do not improve the performance of local authorities, Australian policy‐makers nonetheless continue to impose council amalgamation, as illustrated by the current New South WalesFit for the Futurelocal government reform process. This paper first critically examines the empirical evidence employed by the Independent Local Government Review Panel on the impact of the 2004 council mergers. We argue that this evidence is flawed. We then provide an empirical assessment of the municipal mergers, which occurred over 2000–2004 with our sample drawn from Group 4 councils in the New South Wales variant of the Australian Local Government Classification System. Group 4 councils represent a group of significant regional cities and town councils with similar operational activities. We demonstrate that merged councils have not performed any better than their unmerged peers over the period 2004 to 2014. The paper concludes with some brief policy implications for local government reform in New South Wales and elsewhere.

A Fair Go? A Response to the Independent Local Government Review Panel's Assessment of Municipal Taxation in NSW

The Independent Local Government Review Panel (ILGRP) recently handed down its final report on the financial sustainability of New South Wales (NSW) councils. The report identifies a number of problems in relation to local government rating practice and recommends that the NSW Government consider replacing the present rate‑pegging regime, changing the base from which council rates are levied for high‑density unit complexes and reducing the number of exemptions and concessions currently available. At the heart of the recommendations is an empirically untested contention that the current system of council rates in NSW is inherently inequitable in terms of both inter‑municipal equity and capacity to pay. We begin our assessment of the ILGRP claims by reviewing the theoretical foundations of council property taxes. We then provide a synoptic account of NSW municipal rating before empirically assessing equity under the current arrangements. Finally, we propose a set of public policy responses which address the equity problems identified in our analysis.

Finanse samodzielnych samorządowych publicznych zakładów opieki zdrowotnej po wejściu w życie ustawy o działalności leczniczej

Finanse samodzielnych samorządowych publicznych zakładów opieki zdrowotnej po wejściu w życie ustawy o działalności leczniczej

Less Haste, More Speed: The Fit for the Future Reform Program in New South Wales Local Government

In August 2011 the New South Wales (NSW) Government established the Independent Local Government Review Panel to examine the options for improving the sustainability of the NSW local government sector. In October 2014 the NSW Government set out its response in its Fit for the Future reform program. This paper provides a critical assessment of the Fit for the Future program. We show that it contains errors, relies on unreliable data, and neglects important factors, which may be ascribed to the haste with which it has been constructed. This could have serious consequences given the potential impact the Fit for the Future program will have on NSW local government. We thus conclude that it would be prudent to address these matters before proceeding further with the program.

No Aladdin’s Cave in New South Wales? Local Government Amalgamation, Scale Economies, and Data Envelopment Analysis Specification

Local government structural reform programs are often based on the purported benefits of increased scale. We examine this question in relation to the proposed amalgamation program for New South Wales (NSW) by the NSW Independent Local Government Review Panel using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). We find evidence that a significant proportion of municipalities scheduled for amalgamation already exceed optimal scale and that the great majority of “amalgamated” entities will initially exhibit decreasing returns to scale. Our findings thus stand in stark contrast to the Independent Local Government Review Panel (ILGRP) contention that municipal mergers are the optimal approach to capturing economies of scale in NSW local government.

Inconsistent Depreciation Practice and Public Policymaking: Local Government Reform in New South Wales

Public policy based on numerical indicators – a form of ‘public management by numbers’ – has become commonplace across the world. Whereas a good deal is known about the deleterious effects of this type of policymaking – including ratcheting, output distortion and ‘gaming’ – unfortunately little attention has focused on the adverse local government policy consequences of inconsistent depreciation accruals by local authorities. This paper seeks to address this gap in the empirical literature on local government performance. After examining the use of accounting data by local government policymakers, the paper reviews available empirical evidence of inconsistent depreciation practice both in Australia and abroad. We then consider the recent New South Wales (NSW) Independent Local Government Review Panel's use of accounting ratios as supporting evidence for boundary change in local government as a case study of the adverse impact of inconsistent depreciation practice. The NSW experience clearly demonstrates the distortionary effects of empirical evidence resulting from significant variation in depreciation accruals by individual local councils. The paper concludes with an assessment of the options available to local government policymakers wishing to obtain more accurate accounting accrual data for policy formulation purposes.