An integrated approach to assessing the level of fiscal policy decentralization

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to introduce an integrated approach to the methodology of assessing the level of fiscal policy decentralization. It is proposed to evaluate the fiscal policy decentralization of the state according to three functional components: decentralization of the process of local budget revenues formation (includes five indicators); decentralization of local budget structure (includes six indicators); decentralization of intergovernmental budgetary relations (includes five indicators). The expediency of forming an integral indicator of the level of fiscal policy decentralization as the geometric mean of three sub-indexes formed by its main functional components is substantiated. It has been proved that the level of fiscal decentralization in Ukraine decreased at the end of 2017, compared to 2004, but was medium with acceptable risks of fiscal policy modernization. Instead, in 2014, the lowest numerical value of the decentralization level was recorded, which corresponded to the critical level of the integral indicator with significant obstacles to the modernization of fiscal policy. The results obtained confirm the feasibility of implementing the decentralization reform in Ukraine, which started in 2014, and demonstrate its effectiveness.