W orld Environment Day 2005 might be just the moment to highlight some pristine location that showcases what we most value about our environment: clean air, pure water, uncluttered landscapes, and rich plant and animal life. But instead, the United Nations (UN) Environment Programme turns to a city, San Francisco, as the focus for its celebrations. The reason is simple: Cities are where people ...

How does fiscal austerity affect redistributive policies? We document that during episodes, countries tend to increase marginal income tax rates on top earners, but not average earners. then show that, in response an exogenously imposed rule, Italian municipalities local non-linear taxes progressively. They do adjust other policies. College-educated mayors are more likely than less educated imp...

This article examines whether transfers to local governments in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Chile have been allocated obtain electoral advantage. A large panel data set fixed-effects estimations uncover two types of manipulations: grant fluctuations along the municipal election cycle biases towards aligned municipalities. Notwithstanding, there are significant cross-country differences. In Chi...

This paper exploits the idiosyncratic line of contact separating Allied and Soviet troops within East Germany at end WWII to study political resistance in a non-democracy. When Nazi surrendered, 40 percent what would become authoritarian German Democratic Republic was initially under control but ceded less than two months later. Brief exposure increased protests during major 1953 uprising. We u...

Abstract We document a strong political cycle in bank credit and industry outcomes Turkey. In line with theories of tactical redistribution, state-owned banks systematically adjust their lending around local elections compared private the same province based on electoral competition alignment incumbent mayors. This effect only exists corporate creates constraints for firms opposition areas, whi...

The main objective of this article is to analyze whether the gender mayor and municipal council members affects compliance with principles budgetary stability financial sustainability established in Spanish legislation, for period 2013–2016. We find that leadership women mayors local governments contributes improving their situation. In particular, presence governing a high proportion female co...