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Expenditure-Based Equalization Transfers

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  • Francois Vaillancourt
  • Richard M.Bird

Abstract

Intergovernmental transfers are a major source of revenue for sub-national (regional and local) governments (hereafter SNG), representing 60 percent of their total revenue for developing countries and 33 percent for OECD countries (Shah, 2004). The continued and even growing decentralization observed in many countries calls for a better understanding of the design, role and impact of fiscal transfers. Prominent among the objectives commonly attributed to intergovernmental fiscal transfers is ‘equalization’ although exactly what this term means is often rather obscure and may differ from country to country or even over time within any one country. Our focus in this paper is specifically on those transfers specifically labeled as equalization transfers and in particular on the question of the extent to which and the method by which differences in expenditure ‘needs’ can and should be formally incorporated into such transfers.

Suggested Citation

  • Francois Vaillancourt & Richard M.Bird, 2004. "Expenditure-Based Equalization Transfers," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0410, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    • Handle: RePEc:ays:ispwps:paper0410
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    Cited by:

    1. Audun Langørgen, 2015. "A structural approach for analyzing fiscal equalization," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 22(3), pages 376-400, June.
    2. World Bank, 2012. "Reshaping Egypt's Economic Geography : Domestic Integration as a Development Platform," World Bank Publications - Reports 11869, The World Bank Group.
    3. Rosella Levaggi & Francesco Menoncin, 2014. "Health care expenditure decisions in the presence of devolution and equalisation grants," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 355-368, December.
    4. Bhatt, Antra & Scaramozzino, Pasquale, 2013. "Federal Transfers and Fiscal Discipline in India: An Empirical Evaluation," ADB Economics Working Paper Series 343, Asian Development Bank.
    5. Maarten A Allers & Lewis J Ishemoi, 2011. "Equalising Spending Needs of Subnational Governments in a Developing Country: The Case of Tanzania," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 29(3), pages 487-501, June.
    6. Gerard Turley & Darragh Flannery & Stephen McNena, 2015. "A Needs and Resources Assessment of Fiscal Equalisation in the Irish Local Government System," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 46(3), pages 459-484.
    7. Dafflon, Bernard, 2010. "Local Fiscal Equalization: a New Proposal and an Experiment," FSES Working Papers 418, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Freiburg/Fribourg Switzerland.
    8. World Bank, 2012. "Arab Republic of Egypt - Reshaping Egypt's Economic Geography : Domestic Integration as a Development Platform, Volume 1," World Bank Publications - Reports 11903, The World Bank Group.
    9. Héctor Cardozo, 2021. "An estimation of expenditure needs for Argentinian provinces: A structural modeling approach," Ensayos de Política Económica, Departamento de Investigación Francisco Valsecchi, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina., vol. 3(3), pages 41-75, Octubre.
    10. Gustavo Canavire-Bacarreza & Nicolas Guadalupe Zuniga Espinoza, 2010. "Fiscal Transfers a Curse or Blessing? Evidence of Their Effect on Tax Effort for Municipalities in Sinaloa, Mexico," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1030, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
    11. Fraschini, Angela, 2006. "Fiscal federalism in big developing countries: China and India," POLIS Working Papers 60, Institute of Public Policy and Public Choice - POLIS.
    12. Roy Bahl & Musharraf Cyan & Sally Wallace, 2011. "Challenge to Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in Pakistan: The Revenue Assignment Dimension," Chapters, in: Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & François Vaillancourt (ed.), Decentralization in Developing Countries, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Shah, Anwar, 2012. "Public services and expenditure need equalization : reflections on principles and worldwide comparative practices," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6006, The World Bank.

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