Authors
Russell S Sobel
Publication date
2022/10/20
Publisher
Fraser Institute
Description
Population and the Fiscal Outcomes of Subnational Jurisdictions - executive summary Page 1 Size may have a complex relationship with fiscal outcomes and we begin by examining the literature discussing how the size of a government’s jurisdiction may affect aspects related to fiscal performance, particularly those that could affect taxes or spending (including regulatory spending). The effects of size may filter through either purely as a result of “public finance” (efficiency) reasons, or through the effects of size on “public choice” factors such as democratic outcomes and representation. Another factor that may affect the results of the empirical analysis is the presence of institutional requirements for a balanced budget in these subnational governments. While the Canadian provinces do not have any such restrictions, 49 of the 50 US states are generally considered to have some form of rule or constraint. There does …