Local Government Economics 2400-ENSM022A
1. During the first part of the course, students (with the supervisor help) will select from the proposed subjects' area (sample list below):
- Financing and/or organization of local government units in different countries
- Taxes as local government incomes - theory and practice. Local tax policy, tax competition.
-Transfers as the source of local governments' revenues. Problems of horizontal and vertical imbalance, the efficiency of grants
- Decentralization in selected country, assumptions and effects of reforms.
- Local governments at the capital market. Fiscal rules for sub-central governments' borrowing, its reasons, and effects.
-Determinants of local/regional economic development and the role of local government in the stimulation of development.
- The role of local government in the delivery of local services (education, health, security, water, sewage) - management and financing, specific problems and economy of communal services
- The off-budget sources of local governments' financing - privatization, PPP
2 There will be presented information about the structure of master thesis, formal requirements related to its.
3 There will be presented how to search reading and information in scientific sources (databases, libraries etc) and also how to find and select data to empirical part of the thesis ( the econometric model is preferred)
4 The students will write and present the subsequent parts of its thesis
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Cognizance:
After completing the course the student has an extensive knowledge of the subject of his thesis, social structures, and institutions related to this subject, including standards and legal rules. The student has an extended knowledge of the methods and tools of economic analysis of local finance and more generally local government. The student knows and understands the basic principles of copyright law
Expertise
The student is able to correctly interpret and explain the phenomenon, which he describes in the thesis. He is also able to correctly analyze the causes and results. He uses theoretical knowledge to this description, as well as the appropriate method. Student works alone (under the supervision of lecturer) on his thesis, and independently solves theoretical and practical problems associated with this task. He also is able to present the results of his job.
Skills
The student understands the need for continuous acquisition and completion of knowledge, not only in the field of local finance but also other disciplines. The student is able to properly prioritize tasks related to his thesis
KW01, KW02, KW03, KU01, KU02, KU03, KK01, KK02, KK03
Assessment criteria
The students will write and present the subsequent stages of the master thesis based on an individual time schedule. The punctuality, diligence and scientific quality of the presented parts and final thesis will be assessed
Bibliography
Depend on master topic.
The basic reading are:
Bailey SJ (1999); Local government economics. Principles and practice; MacMillan 1999 r.
Fisher, R. C. (1996). State and local public finance. Irwin
Musgrave, R. A. (1959). Theory of public finance; a study in public economy. (selected chapters)
Stiglitz, J. E., & Brown, E. P. (2000). Economics of the public sector. (selected chapters)
papers and materials: OECD Fiscal Federalism Network, World Bank- decentralization&subnational regional economics,
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: