The Main Aspects of Financial Support of Local Governments in the Russian Federation

Abstract

For the effective functioning of local governments an important role is played by the sufficiency of the revenue base of local budgets. It is the municipal level of power in the Russian Federation that is responsible for the most important social expenditures of the state. The purpose of this work is to analyze the revenue sources of local governments, as well as the expenditures of municipal budgets in Russia in the framework of the sub-federal fiscal policy. A set of calculations based on materials from municipalities of the Russian Federation allows to determine the main directions of formation of revenues and expenditures of budgets of local governments, as well as assess the impact of the budget policy of regional authorities on incentives for the socio-economic development of municipalities. The analysis of budget revenues and expenditures by types of municipalities in Russia has been carried out in order to identify their budget solvency both in statics and in dynamics. The results of the study can be applied in studying the possibilities of improving budget policy in the direction of leveling and stimulating local governments to strengthen their own revenue base. It has been concluded that the improvement of intergovernmental relations should include measures to strengthen the tax potential of municipalities, which is impossible without ensuring stable fixed tax revenues for local budgets.