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Cover of: Bring Out the Steamrollers – It's Election Year Again!
Jonas Klarin

Bring Out the Steamrollers – It's Election Year Again!

Section: Articles
Volume 76 (2020) / Issue 1, pp. 29-56 (28)
Published 08.08.2019
DOI 10.1628/fa-2019-0012
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  • 10.1628/fa-2019-0012
Summary
I test for the presence of election cycles within the budget composition in Swedish municipalities. I find that local governments increase expenditures that are visible to voters in election years. Other expenditures do not decrease, and as a consequence total spending increases. Budget balance is achieved by an increase in intergovernmental grants. I also find suggestive evidence that municipalities with the same political affiliation as the ruling central government receive more grants and spend more on visible expenditures.