The Effect of Fiscal Decentralization on Municipal Fiscal Condition: An Empirical Study of Large American Cities

Local governments’ ability to sustain a healthy fiscal structure and meet service obligations is critical in avoiding financial hardship. This study empirically tests the effects of intrastate fiscal decentralization on municipal fiscal health that is measured by cash solvency, budget solvency, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:State & local government review 2023-12, Vol.55 (4), p.288-302
Main Authors: Wang, Xiaoheng, Cheng, Jen-Chi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Decentralization
Expenditures
Local government
Long term
Revenue
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Summary:Local governments’ ability to sustain a healthy fiscal structure and meet service obligations is critical in avoiding financial hardship. This study empirically tests the effects of intrastate fiscal decentralization on municipal fiscal health that is measured by cash solvency, budget solvency, and long-run solvency. The two key variables, revenue decentralization and expenditure decentralization, are constructed to represent intrastate fiscal decentralization. The panel dataset includes 100 large U.S. cities and covers fiscal years 2007 through 2016, which encompasses periods before, during, and after the Great Recession started in 2008. The model estimation is based on a two-way fixed-effect panel regression. The results show that an increased degree of state-local revenue decentralization is significantly associated with higher long-term solvency, while an increased degree of state-local expenditure decentralization leads to higher levels of cash solvency and lower levels of long-term solvency.
ISSN:0160-323X
1943-3409
DOI:10.1177/0160323X231181332