Local finance

Teachers

Included in study programs

Teaching results

The student is able to understand the fundamentals of local finance, the theoretical and practical aspects of local government expenditures and revenues, and the main issues of local governance. He/she can use this knowledge in the professional carrier in public administration, public management, tax advising, or as a member of local government council, NGOs etc.
The student will be able to:
1. Knowledge and understanding
• understand the basic principles of the functioning of self-government units in the system of public administration
• identify the degree of decentralization applied in the country
• assess the appropriateness of setting up the financial system of local governments
• demonstrate the ability to administer local taxes and fees, as well as other relevant processes in the area of local government
2. Practical skills:
• the ability to perform an analysis of the local government budget
• the ability to calculate the amount of local taxes and fees
• the ability to assess the effectiveness of local government expenditures
3. Competences:
• the ability to apply the acquired knowledge and skills in solving problematic tasks in the field of territorial self-government and to adopt effective and efficient solutions in the field of local public policy

Indicative content

1. Fiscal federalism and fiscal decentralization in theory and practice
2. Introduction to local finance
3. Theoretical approaches to local finance and the size of local government
4. Local government revenues with a focus on local taxes
5. Other revenues of local government
6. Intergovernmental transfers
7. Expenditures of local government
8. Infrastructure financing at local level
9. Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) at the local level
10. Budget management of local government
11. Indebtedness of local self-government units
12. Financial management of local government

Support literature

• Kitchen, H., McMillan, M., Shah, A.: Local Public Finance and Economics An International Perspective, Palgrave McMillan, 2019
• UN-HABITAT: Guide to municipal finance, Nairobi, 2009
• Gruber, J.: Public Finance and Public Policy, 5th Ed., New York: Worth Publishers, 2016
• Rosen, S. R., Gayer, T.: Public Finance, 9th Ed., McGraw Hill, 2010
• OECD statistics

Requirements to complete the course

20 % ongoing evaluation,
20 % seminar project,
60 % written final exam

Student workload

• participation on the lectures 26 hours,
• preparing for sessions 26 hours,
• seminar project elaboration 26 hours,
• preparing for the ongoing evaluation 26 hours,
• preparing for the final exam 52 hours

Language whose command is required to complete the course

slovak

Date of approval: 06.02.2023

Date of the latest change: 26.01.2022