The Optimal Size of Municipalities from the Viewpoint of Public Goods Theory

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This research has intended to explore the optimal size of municipalities from both theoretical and empirical viewpoints and also to induce the implication for municipal consolidation preparing for the decentralized society. In 2001 and 2002 fiscal years, we performed the following research results.In 2001 fiscal year :(I) We examined all mayors in Hyogo prefecture through a mailing survey, and asked their idea about the optimal size of a municipality and the incentive for municipal consolidation. With survey data, we also tried the probit model to investigate their attitudes to fiscal and economic conditions.(ii) We focused Sasayama city as a progressive example of consolidation and examined both the merit and demerit of this case, particularly checking up the financial effects.(iii) Focusing the municipalities which have not received revenue sharing grants, we compared the financial structure of those cities with the one of regular cities which depend on this grants. Looking after the … More structure of government expenditure, we tried to induce the implication for an optimal municipal size.In 2002 fiscal year :(I) We also focused Hikami county which is the next area of Sasayama city mentioned above and surveyed all public employee in this area to explore their attitudes for consolidation.(ii) We surveyed the previous papers with respect to an optimal municipal size in Japan. Appling those similar method to Hyogo prefecture, we analyzed the size of minimizing the cost of supplying public services in the aspects of population, area and density. We pointed out that the area size is another important factor to think about an optimal municipal size.(iii) We surveyed the previous papers which intended to investigate the rivalry (or the congestion or crowding effect) of public goods consumption. We expected this crowding parameter could give us valuable information about an optimal municipal size.(iv) In making use of the idea mentioned above, we constructed the empirical model for fire services to estimate the crowding parameter in Hyogo prefecture. We continued the rival situation of fire services and the area size is anther important factor. Less