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Finances publiques décentralisées en temps d'austérité : l'exemple des États- Unis

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  • Jacques Le Cacheux

Abstract

[eng] Some important aspects of the current French decentralization are enlightened by the recent changes in US public finance. Proceeding from very different premises, the « New Federalism » and the French decentralization share in common a context of general economic slowdown and fiscal tightness. The problems that arise and their solutions are therefore often similar, in spite of conspicuous differences in the institutional frameworks. Such similarities are in broad agreement with the economic theory of decentralized governments. The case-study of the US local public finance clearly reveals the effects of the recession. After several decades of continuing growth in local budgets, the 1981-1982 recession, closely following the « Tax Revolt » movement, caused a reversal in these trends. Both the increase in needs and the decline in revenues have been aggravated by the transfer of competences and finan- cial responsabilities from the federal government to the states. An increase in state and local taxes could not be avoided. And, in so far as some existing public services are given a high priority, other outlays had to be reduced : thus public employment shrank and public investment sharply declined. [fre] Les évolutions récentes des finances publiques américaines éclairent certains aspects essentiels de la décentralisation qui s'amorce en France. S'il est vrai que les philosophies qui les inspirent sont profondément différentes, ces mouvements de décentralisation se produisent dans des contextes comparables de ralentissement de l'activité économique et de rigueur budgétaire. En dépit de différences institutionnelles indéniables, les problèmes et les solutions sont donc souvent très semblables, comme le suggère la théorie économique du fédéralisme. L'exemple des États-Unis met en évidence les effets de la récession sur les finances locales. Après plusieurs décennies de croissance rapide des budgets, la récession de 1981-1982, suivant de près la « révolte fiscale », a causé un renversement des tendances. L'accroissement des besoins et la baisse des recettes ont été accentués par les transferts de compétences et de charges de l'État Fédéral, conduisant inévitablement à une augmentation de la fiscalité locale et, pour maintenir les services publics prioritaires, au sacrifice d'autres dépenses : ainsi, l'emploi et plus encore l'investissement publics ont-ils été fortement réduits.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacques Le Cacheux, 1984. "Finances publiques décentralisées en temps d'austérité : l'exemple des États- Unis," Revue de l'OFCE, Programme National Persée, vol. 6(1), pages 109-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:prs:rvofce:ofce_0751-6614_1984_num_6_1_971
    DOI: 10.3406/ofce.1984.971
    Note: DOI:10.3406/ofce.1984.971
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Olson, Mancur, Jr, 1969. "The Principle of "Fiscal Equivalence": The Division of Responsibilities among Different Levels of Government," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(2), pages 479-487, May.
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