Vanishing Borders of Urban Local Finance Global Developments with Illustrations from Indian Federation

This book examines the emerging trends in vanishing borders of urban local government finance due to uncertain local tax and expenditure regimes. It analyzes the global developments with illustrations from state budgetary operations of the Indian federation. This trend has gained momentum due to concentration of population in cities and big towns as a consequence of globalization, leading to enhanced environmental vulnerability due to climate change. Expanding expenditure needs have not been corresponded by revenue regimes and transfers. Moreover, involving corporate sector in local area preference initiatives through mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an interesting development. It is expected to work as a local fiscal additionality to supplement locally provided civic and infrastructure services. This additionality may also evolve into public private partnerships at the local level. Such development however has the potential of displacing local government operations.

The focus of the book hinges around critically examining setbacks to fiscal decentralization and challenges in improving the status of urban local finances to enhance fiscal autonomy of these governments, particularly in Indian scenario. The book also explores the possibility of an expanded role of local fiscal policy in the context of globalization and climate change, besides addressing the conventional responsibilities with respect to quality of civic services.

Chapter 1: Background and Emerging Challenges.- Chapter 2: Theory of Fiscal Federalism and Local Fiscal Domain.- Chapter 3: Fiscal Decentralization and Local Area Corporate Social Responsibility.- Chapter 4: Globalization, Climate Change and Changing Face of Urban Public Finance.- Chapter 5: Undermining Conventional User Charges.- Chapter 6: Grants in Aid and Bailouts in Municipal Finance.- Chapter 7: Off Budget Activities and Autonomous Specific Purpose Boards.- Chapter 8: Institutional Constraints on Local Fiscal Mobilisation.- Chapter 9: Limitations of Environmental Federalism: State vs Local Expenditure.- Chapter 10: Potential Local Taxes and Prospects for Municipal Bonds.- Chapter 11: Summary and Conclusion.

Shyam Nath is currently Professor and Director, Amrita Center for Economics and Governance, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University. He is an alumnus of The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, New York, USA. 

Yeti Nisha Madhoo is Professor and Co-Director, Amrita Center for Economics and Governance, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University. As Former Economics Faculty at the University of Mauritius, Dr Madhoo conducted post-doctoral research in Development Economics and Policy under Fulbright Fellowship at University of California, Berkeley, USA.