Few studies have analysed the results of public management in terms of social welfare. However, the financial health of local governments is in decline, which means that they are no longer able to provide public services that require financial obligations. This generally results in a reduction...

Financing local activities at an appropriate level by reference to local communities’ development needs cannot be left, especially where these needs are major, solely to the account of ordinary resources, but loan resources must complete them. However, the existence of a legal framework...

In this paper we present evidence of the flypaper effect on unconditional transfers in the Mexican municipalities during the 1990 to 2007 period. Using panel data, we also confirm an asymmetric effect. That is, authorities increase expenditures by a greater amount in response to an increase in...

Indonesia launched Jampersal in 2011, a nationwide program to accelerate the reduction of maternal and newborn deaths. The program was financed by central government revenues and provided free and comprehensive maternal and neonatal care with an emphasis on promoting institutional deliveries....

This study presents two case studies, each on a current initiative of contracting for primary health services in Brazil, one for the state of Bahia, the other for the city of Rio de Janeiro. The two initiatives are not linked and their implementation has independently sprung from a search for...

Indonesia launched the national health insurance program - Jaminan Kesehatan National (JKN), on January 1, 2014, and aims to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2019. Achieving UHC means not only increasing the number of people covered but also expanding the benefits package and ensuring...

The State Audit Office of Hungary has audited 100 local governments in 2012 and 2013 as for the development of internal controls - the aim of this study is to highlight the main deficiencies. According to the findings, the content of the organizational and operational rule is not properly...

The total debt of Hungarian local governments accumulated during the 2002–2008 period was consolidated in full by the government between 2011 and 2014. Most of the debt assumed by the central budget was denominated in foreign currency, which involved high exchange risk and, therefore,...

Considerable progress has been made towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) since 1990. Although advances in improving MDG 4 and MDG 5a (reducing child and maternal mortality, respectively) have been made, progress is some countries have been insufficient. While some...

Using an extensive dataset covering all Portuguese local governments (308), this paper analyzes the determinants of municipal deficits and debt. The results clearly indicate the existence of a political budget cycle, but there is no evidence that fiscal policy is used strategically to condition...