PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)最新文献

{"title":"Policy Responsiveness and Political Accountability in City Politics","authors":"Anthony M. Sayers, Jack Lucas","doi":"10.11575/SPPP.V10I0.42618","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11575/SPPP.V10I0.42618","url":null,"abstract":"Peculiar patterns have emerged in municipal politics in Canada. Unlike at federal and provincial levels of government, party politics is weak or absent in cities. But looking at the entire history of municipal elections of three Western Canadian cities — Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver — also finds that, again unlike politicians at higher levels, municipal representatives are increasingly more likely to win repeated re-elections, facing a much lower threat from any competitive challenge. In addition, the careers of municipal politicians are growing steadily longer, leading to relatively stable, almost static, city governments that tend to see change most commonly when councillors choose to step down, rather than being forced out. Such patterns, of course, run counter to the general presumption in lively democracies, including this one, that the responsiveness of government leaders (that is, following the wishes of their constituents) and their accountability for the actions they take are best served by frequent turnovers in government: The need to throw politicians out every now and again to let new ones try and do things better. Whether the remarkable levels of stability and incumbency on city councils actually do serve the best interests of voters is unclear. More clear is that the lack of a party system at the city level seems to have contributed to this peculiar dynamic, and that city politicians have an interest in keeping it that way. While party affiliations provide a candidate some benefits in the form of campaign co-ordination, they also provide voters with increased clarity about what each candidate stands for policy-wise. That might be helpful to voters, but city politicians might find it more useful to blur their positions, leaving voters uncertain of exactly how to define a specific councillor’s stand, overall. The  amount of information required to root through a councillor’s voting record, and the relatively light media coverage of daily council business, leaves most voters inclined to rely on something other than political signals when they decide who to support. Inevitably, a candidate’s personal character and length of experience take on a larger priority in the voting decision. So, the longer a councillor serves, the longer he or she might be likely to keep serving. The natural outcome of this phenomenon is that city councils are less likely to become polarized as councillors have an incentive to seek consensus by limiting obvious policy distinctions between themselves and their fellow representatives, contributing to a dynamic where city council works more like a corporate body and less like a partisan legislature. As long as citizens remain largely unperturbed by the overall actions of their city council, they might judge the risk of replacing them at election time as unnecessarily high compared to sticking with the status quo. This behaviour challenges much of the prevailing theory about how political processes improve polit","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130598399","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Antinomies of Political Society: Implications of Uncivil Development","authors":"G. Vijay, Ajay Gudavarthy","doi":"10.7135/UPO9780857289469.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7135/UPO9780857289469.004","url":null,"abstract":"This paper is an attempt to delve into the consequences of the antinomies of flattened notions of subaltern politics on the basis of a field study in Kazipally, a pollution affected village, and to demonstrate how sustained demands for the closure of the polluting industries, based on collective mobilization and action, is met with uncivil state repression in nexus with mafia and the economic elites (industrialists) in the market. In turn, this pushes collectives to break up and be replaced by interest-based demands either at the level of smaller groups -- formed around available social stratifications -- or even individuals. This makes it increasingly difficult over time to sustain collective political action that could demand and gain long-term structural changes, in this case the closure of industries and the revival of agriculture. Therefore, the assumption that a “political society” can unproblematically refer to or subsume both organized political movements as well as contextually marked “strategic politics” actually becomes highly indefensible. In other words, while it is democratic to recognize the strategies for survival, it is struggles that lie beyond survival strategies that are imperative for any meaningful idea of democratization.","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"1226 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115961201","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Regulating Local Government Financing Vehicles and Public-Private Partnerships in China","authors":"Hui-Lian Jin, Isabel Rial","doi":"10.5089/9781475536768.001.A001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.5089/9781475536768.001.A001","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we argue that there is much room for China to strengthen its regulatory framework for public-private partnerships (PPPs). We show that infrastructure projects carried out through local government financing vehicles (LGFVs) are largely unregulated PPPs, and significant fiscal risks have already manifested themselves. While PPPs can potentially provide efficiency gains, they can also be used by governments to circumvent budgetary borrowing constraints. Therefore, effective PPP regulation is key to delivering PPPs’ benefits while containing their potential fiscal risks. The authorities have taken concrete steps in order to establish a sound regulatory framework and foster a new generation of PPPs. However, to make the framework effective, we highlight a few issues to be resolved. Based on international best practice, we propose a four-pillar regulatory framework for China, which could be implemented gradually in three stages.","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121366999","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Rise and Fall of Local Self-Government: The Case of Petrozavodsk","authors":"M. Turchenko","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2832729","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2832729","url":null,"abstract":"On September 8, 2013 the mayoral election was held in Petrozavodsk, the capital city of the Republic of Karelia. An independent candidate Galina Shirshina gained success in this contest. On December 25, 2015 Shirshina was dismissed by the Petrozavodsk City Councillors. Her misgovernment of the city’s public sector was the official explanation for her dismissal. An alternative explanation of why she lost her position, was her refusal to conform with the regional power vertical. In accordance with the obtained results, the leading role in Shirshina’s recall was played by the Karelian authorities. They decided to remove Shirshina after their failure to control her actions as mayor. The key step towards the implementation of this decision was elimination of the autonomy of the local political elites, who supported the mayor of Petrozavodsk and controlled the majority of the municipal deputies. The regional authorities replaced popular mayoral elections in the city with the appointment of a city manager to assure their political control in the future. This case study shows that the survival of mayoral governance and the direct mayoral elections in the cities of Russia depend on mayoral loyalty to the regional authorities","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"5 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133278588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Determinants of Depositor Demand for the Texas Local Government Investment Pool","authors":"R. Bland, Julius A. Nukpezah, Patricia B. Shinkle","doi":"10.1111/pbaf.12068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbaf.12068","url":null,"abstract":"Local government investment pools (LGIP's) provide the political subdivisions of a state with a cost‐effective option for investing their daily cash balances in an income‐producing fund. LGIP's have grown into a $250 billion dollar industry in 44 states. This study reports on the factors that affect demand by depositors using time series data from TexPool. The results show that the yield spread of LGIP's has a nonlinear relationship with demand, the pool's liquidity was inversely related to demand, and TexPool's average monthly yield levels had no effect on demand. This study supports the normative values expected of local government investors — priority on safety and liquidity of principal. Outsourcing of the fund's management and aligning the pool's average maturity to the purpose of the pool brought a high level of confidence in the fund as seen by the substantial growth in both the average balance of investments and the number of depositors.","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114296250","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Political Economy of Land Finance in China","authors":"Wen Wang, Fangzhi Ye","doi":"10.1111/pbaf.12086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/pbaf.12086","url":null,"abstract":"The heavy reliance of Chinese local governments on land‐leasing revenues in recent decades has attracted widespread criticism due to its potential risks and problems. This research, using a panel dataset of 280 prefecture‐level cities in China from 1999 to 2009, explores what factors affect Chinese city governments’ dependence on land finance. The findings provide strong support for hypotheses concerning the effects of both fiscal incentives and political incentives on local fiscal behavior. Both fiscal factors — such as local reliance on fiscal transfers and fiscal decentralization — and political factors — including local top leaders’ tenure and their distance to mandatory retirement — have exerted significant impacts on city governments’ reliance on land finance. These findings point to the significance of intergovernmental fiscal arrangements and political institutions in affecting local government fiscal behavior in developing countries.","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-08-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131423336","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local Governance System for Management of Public Health Facilities: Functioning of Rogi Kalyan Samiti in North Eastern States of India","authors":"Heikrujam Nongyai Nongdrenkhomba, B. Prasad, A. Baishya, Biraj Kanti Shome","doi":"10.3329/SEAJPH.V4I2.23690","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3329/SEAJPH.V4I2.23690","url":null,"abstract":"In India, the National Rural Health Mission envisaged of having committees with civil society representation at all publicly financed hospitals known as Rogi Kalyan Samiti (RKS), with mandate to enhance governance in hospitals. There are limited evidences about functioning of these committees in many states, especially in North Eastern (NE) states. This paper analyses the perspective of RKS members and relate to changing community- health system structure for improved governance. The study was conducted in three states Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura of NE Region of India. Using stratified sampling design, 14 RKS/facilities were selected from Manipur, 15 from Meghalaya and 11 from Tripura. Two key informants (mainly, president/secretary of RKS) were interviewed using a semi-structured pre-tested questionnaire in local language. The major areas of RKS operationalization identified include; constitution, finance management and activities related to health systems strengthening. RKS was constituted during 2006-07 with governing body following issuance of government of India guidelines. The funds (grants and User Fee) were utilized for purchase of furniture, bio-medical waste management etc. The governing body meetings focused mainly on ensuring services; in Tripura 72% of RKS had regular meetings and have shown improvement in functioning of facilities.Formation of RKS model paved way to a new beginning for strengthening health system with involvement of local leaders, civil society to improve governance. The functioning is derived by availability of resources, capacity of committee members and the bureaucratic process. Revision in functioning of RKS model is essential towards self-sustainability and bridge between community-health systems. South East Asia Journal of Public Health Vol.4(2) 2014: 16-22","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"18 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124909632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Michigan Local Leaders Have Positive Views on Relationships with County Road Agencies, Despite Some Concerns","authors":"Michael Q. Crawford, Thomas M. Ivacko","doi":"10.2139/SSRN.2613096","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/SSRN.2613096","url":null,"abstract":"This report presents the opinions of Michigan local government leaders and officials from the state’s county road agencies regarding the relationships between local governments and county road agencies, as well as local officials’ ratings of road agency performance and related issues. The findings in this report are based on a statewide survey of local government leaders and county road commissions and departments in the Fall 2014 wave of the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS).","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"127 ","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"113991226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Turnout and Closeness: Evidence from 60 Years of Bavarian Mayoral Elections","authors":"F. Arnold","doi":"10.1111/sjoe.12241","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/sjoe.12241","url":null,"abstract":"One prediction of the calculus of voting is that electoral closeness positively affects turnout via a higher probability of one vote being decisive. I test this theory with data on all mayoral elections in the German state of Bavaria between 1946 and 2009. Importantly, I use constitutionally prescribed two-round elections to measure electoral closeness and thereby improve on existing work that mostly uses ex- post measures that are prone to endogeneity. The results suggest that electoral closeness matters: A one standard deviation increase in close- ness increases turnout by 1.68 percentage points, which corresponds to 1 6 of a standard deviation in this variable. I also evaluate how other factors like electorate size or rain on election day affect turnout differentially depending on the closeness of the race.","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127334879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fiscal Incentives and Policy Choices of Local Governments, Evidence from China","authors":"Li-Jun Han, J. Kung","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2607777","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2607777","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines how fiscal incentives affect the policy choices of local governments in the context of China. Based on exogenous changes in the intergovernmental revenue sharing scheme, we construct a simulated instrumental variable to resolve the endogeneity problem. We find evidence that local governments shifted their efforts from fostering industrial growth to \"urbanizing\" China, i.e., to developing the real estate and construction sectors, when their retention rate of enterprise tax revenue was reduced. The increase from the new revenue source compensated for half of the losses in revenue that resulted from the reassignment of fiscal rights. The reassignment had also the effect of retarding the industrial growth of domestically-owned firms in particular.","PeriodicalId":385898,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Local Politics & Policy (Topic)","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122078337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}