Fiscal systems throughout the world have been severely strained in recent years, as governments have assumed more responsibility for economic management. The developing counties, where needs are greatest and resources scarcest, have found their finances especially hard pressed. This book examines a range of issues in government finance that confront developing countries: the formulation and execution of national budget; the objectives, size, and effects of expenditures; the purposes and results of various ways of taxing income, wealth, consumption, exports, or natural resources; the role of foreign and domestic borrowings; and the consequences of financing by money creation. The book also relates fiscal operations to goals such as growth and development, economic stabilization, equitable distribution, and national self-reliance. The author stresses the need to take account of economic and political conditions and particularly administrative capacity when evaluating the suitability of fiscal measures in developing countries.

This lively and accessible book discusses the real world fiscal issues in developing countries within a realistic macroeconomic and social framework. It represents the best synthesis currently available of the link between public finance and macroeconomics in developing countries, with emphasis on positive rather than normative aspects. The first part of the book emphasizes the reasons why normatively prescribed policy objectives are often not achieved. The second part includes various chapters that show the close link that exists between developments in the public finances and in the macroeconomic situation of these countries. The impact on inflation and of the real exchange rate on tax revenue is highlighted. The third part discusses various aspects of taxation and the requirements for successful tax reform.

This volume reviews current developments taking place in public sector economics and covers issues in both public expenditure and taxation. Trends in public spending, and their determinants, are reviewed along with recent developments in the public choice perspective and the analysis of the demand for public goods. Taxation issues include the incentive effects of taxation, tax evasion and compliance costs and taxation in developing countries. The book concludes with a discussion of the public sector and income distribution and fiscal federalism. Other topics include privatization and deregulation.

And Evaluation of Local Automotive Taxation. 8. Other Urban Taxes. Policy Objectives. Local Income Taxes. General Sales Taxes. Local Taxes on Industry, Commerce, and Professions. "Terminal" Taxes. Local Sumptuary Taxes. Entertainment Taxes. Minor Local Taxes, Licenses, and Fees. Summary and Evaluation -- Pt. III. User Charges for Urban Services. 9. Issues in Pricing Urban Services. The Efficiency Argument for User Charges. Fiscal Considerations and Full Cost Pricing. Income Distribution Considerations. The Politics and Institutions of Public Service Pricing. 10. Charging for Urban Water Services. Pricing Water Supply Services. Sewerage and Drainage. Summary. 11. Charging for Other Urban Services. Electricity and Telephone Services. Collecting and Disposing of Solid Waste. Mass Transit. Housing. Development Charges -- Pt. IV. Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations. 12. The Structure of Urban Governance. Fiscal Decentralization. The National Structure of Urban Government.

Public finance is crucial to a country’s economic growth, yet successful reform of public finances has been rare. Ethiopia is an example of a country that undertook comprehensive reform of its core financial systems, independent of the IMF and the World Bank, and successfully transformed itself into one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa. With Ethiopia’s twelve-year reform as its guiding case study, this book presents new analytical frameworks to help governments develop better financial reforms. It shows in detail how four core financial systems—budgeting, accounting, planning, and financial information systems—can be reformed. One of the principal findings presented is that governments must establish basic public financial administration before moving to more sophisticated public financial management. Other key findings include the identification of four strategies of reform (recognize, improve, change, and sustain), the centrality of ongoing learning to the process of reform, and the importance of government ownership of reform. This book will be of interest to researchers and policymakers concerned with public finance, developmental economics, and African studies.