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Estimating local government efficiency using a panel data parametric approach: the case of Chilean municipalities

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  • Francisca Pacheco
  • Rafael Sánchez
  • Mauricio G. Villena

Abstract

Previous empirical evidence on municipal efficiency mostly uses cross-sectional data which makes it impossible to separate unobserved heterogeneity from inefficiency. Furthermore, they also typically use a two-stage approach which has been widely criticized as the assumptions in the first stage are violated in the second stage, generating biased results. We contribute to the literature by putting forward a one stage approach with parametric models and panel data to estimate municipal efficiency of 324 Chilean municipalities for the period 2008–2018. We take into account observed and unobserved heterogeneity, incorporating them both into the frontier and jointly estimating efficiency of all the municipalities in the sample. Our results suggest that Chilean municipalities have a relevant degree of inefficiency as they could achieve the same provision of services with 53% −61% less resources, depending on the specification, and that there is large heterogeneity in their level of efficiency. Finally, we also find that municipalities with a high dependency on the Municipal Common Fund are less efficient supporting the notion of local governments fiscal laziness present in the literature …

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  • Francisca Pacheco & Rafael Sánchez & Mauricio G. Villena, 2021. "Estimating local government efficiency using a panel data parametric approach: the case of Chilean municipalities," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(3), pages 292-314, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:53:y:2021:i:3:p:292-314
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2020.1808171
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    2. Charmaine B. Distor & Odkhuu Khaltar, 2022. "What Motivates Local Governments to Be Efficient? Evidence from Philippine Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, August.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D2 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • H83 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - Public Administration
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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