Power to the People? The Initiative Process and Fiscal Discipline in City Governments

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6404705
AutoresBenedict S Jimenez (0000-0002-4184-7713, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA, autor correspondente)
Ano2019
Volume55
Fascículo5
Páginas1280-1311
Data de publicação2019-09-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoUrban Affairs Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1078-0874 • E-ISSN: 1552-8332
EditoraSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1078087418756534
OpenAlexW2791967148
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas3
Referências citadas59

Does giving citizens the power to decide budget policies improve fiscal discipline in the local public sector? This study examines the effects of local initiatives on city budgetary solvency or the ability of city governments to generate revenues to meet their service and financial obligations in a fiscal year. Budgetary imbalance in the public sector has been blamed on self-interested bureaucrats and elected officials who desire budgets that are higher than that preferred by the median voter. The initiative gives citizens the power to directly decide budget issues. Research shows that voters are more fiscally conservative than government officials, which suggests that fiscal discipline will improve if citizens exercise greater control over budgeting. Using data from audited financial reports for midsized and large cities from 2006 to 2012, the empirical analysis indicates that initiative cities have weaker budgetary solvency compared with noninitiative cities

Audit · Budget process · Business · Economic policy · Economics · Economy · Government (linguistics · Local government · Political science · Politics · Power (physics · Public sector · Public service · Revenue · Solvency · Fiscal Policies and Political Economy · Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth · Local Government Finance and Decentralization · Public Administration · Accounting · Finance