Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Municipal Government Form And Budget Outcomes: Political Responsiveness, Bureaucratic Insulation, And The Budgetary Solvency Of Cities, Benedict S. Jimenez

PMAP Publications

One of the fundamental questions in democratic governance is whether policies are best decided by elected officials or by appointed bureaucrat-experts. The study examines this issue in the context of how municipal government form influences government-wide budgetary solvency. Government form creates distinct incentives for executive action that shape budget outcomes. In mayor-council governments, the elected executive’s desire to be reelected increases responsiveness to voters’ preferences. Vote maximization incentivizes the adoption of policies that are popular among voters but can lead to budgetary imbalance. In contrast, the appointed executive in the council-manager form is interested in career advancement, which she achieves …