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Accountability and fiscal equalization

Author

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  • Kotsogiannis, Christos
  • Schwager, Robert
Abstract
A common feature of multi-jurisdictional systems is equalization programs. The implementation of such programs, that is based on some measurement of sub-national fiscal capacity and effort, is particularly complex. Within a political economy model, this paper analyzes the impact of such systems on accountability, identifying a positive and a negative effect. The positive effect arises because with equalized fiscal resources, a consequence of equalization, citizens attach more importance to any remaining variation in public good supplies and so punish rent-taking more severely. This induces politicians to restrain themselves and so accountability improves. The negative effect arises because the complexity of such programs reduces the informational content of observed public good supplies. This introduces a perverse fiscal incentive that reduces accountability. Thus, the overall impact of equalization programs on accountability depends on the balance of these effects.

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  • Kotsogiannis, Christos & Schwager, Robert, 2008. "Accountability and fiscal equalization," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(12), pages 2336-2349, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:92:y:2008:i:12:p:2336-2349
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    Cited by:

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    2. Massimo Bordignon, 2015. "Exit and Voice: Yardstick Versus Fiscal Competition Across Governments," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 1(1), pages 117-137, March.
    3. Kessing, Sebastian G., 2010. "Federalism and accountability with distorted election choices," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 239-247, March.
    4. Ross Hickey, 2015. "Intergovernmental transfers and re-election concerned politicians," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 331-351, November.
    5. Giuseppe Di Liddo & Annalisa Vinella, 2022. "Asymmetric yardstick competition: traditional procurement versus public-private partnerships," Italian Economic Journal: A Continuation of Rivista Italiana degli Economisti and Giornale degli Economisti, Springer;Società Italiana degli Economisti (Italian Economic Association), vol. 8(3), pages 669-695, November.
    6. Pierre Salmon, 2013. "Horizontal competition in multilevel governmental settings," Working Papers hal-00830876, HAL.
    7. Axel Dreher & Kai Gehring & Christos Kotsogiannis & Silvia Marchesi, 2018. "Information transmission within federal fiscal architectures: theory and evidence," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 70(1), pages 243-265.
    8. Matthaei, Stephan & Stähler, Nikolai, 2016. "Macroeconomic implications of the German financial equalization system," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145695, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    9. Di Liddo, Giuseppe & Giuranno, Michele G., 2016. "Asymmetric yardstick competition and municipal cooperation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 64-66.
    10. Bruns, Christian & Himmler, Oliver, 2014. "A Theory of Political Accountability and Journalism," MPRA Paper 59286, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Thiess Büttner & Petra Enß & Fédéric Holm-Hadulla & Robert Schwager & Christiane Starbatty & Wiebke Webering, 2009. "Der kommunale Finanzausgleich in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern : langfristige Entwicklung und Reformperspektiven ; Teil II: Der horizontale Finanzausgleich ; Gutachten im Auftrag des Innenministeriums des La," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 46, September.
    12. Sergio Beraldo & Massimiliano Piacenza & Gilberto Turati, 2012. "Fiscal Decentralization In Weak Institutional Environments," Post-Print halshs-00706970, HAL.
    13. M.G. Giuranno & L. Greco, 2017. "Semi-voluntary Horizontal Equalization," Rivista economica del Mezzogiorno, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 4, pages 927-938.
    14. Holm-Hadulla, Fédéric, 2020. "Fiscal equalization and the tax structure," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    15. Carmela Brugnano & Giuseppe Ferraina & Andrea Ferri & Larysa Minzyuk & Felice Russo, 2017. "Federalismo municipale e nuovo sistema perequativo: il Fondo di solidariet? comunale 2016," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(2), pages 93-133.
    16. Yongzheng Liu & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Alfred M. Wu, 2017. "Fiscal decentralization, equalization, and intra-provincial inequality in China," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 24(2), pages 248-281, April.
    17. Di Liddo, Giuseppe & Vinella, Annalisa, 2024. "Global public good provision in emergency states: A model of (asymmetric) yardstick competition between rent-seeking governments," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    18. Monika Banaszewska, 2023. "Equalisation Grants and Local Taxation: The Case of Poland," Gospodarka Narodowa. The Polish Journal of Economics, Warsaw School of Economics, issue 2, pages 47-65.
    19. Ferraresi, Massimiliano & Kotsogiannis, Christos & Rizzo, Leonzio, 2018. "Decentralization and fuel subsidies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 275-286.
    20. Adriano Giannola & Michele G. Giuranno, 2017. "Mezzogiorno tra crisi economica e intervento pubblico," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2017(2), pages 5-13.
    21. Alejandro Esteller-Moré & Umberto Galmarini & Leonzio Rizzo, 2017. "Fiscal equalization and lobbying," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 24(2), pages 221-247, April.
    22. Allers, Maarten A., 2012. "Yardstick competition, fiscal disparities, and equalization," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 117(1), pages 4-6.

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