Regional Budgets: At the End of Tether

Abstract

Improved parameters of the consolidated budgets balance of the subjects of the Russian Federation in July–October 2016 triggered by growing rates of budget revenues and curbing of expenditure growth will allow retaining the values of major budget indices at the 2015 level in real terms. Meanwhile, currently regions have got to the limits of their possibilities to raise wages to those categories of public employees who were indicated in May 2012 presidential decrees. Expected onward contraction of real volume of regions’ re venues and expenses in 2017–2019 can lead to the incomplete implementation of decrees, further distortion on the structure of regional and local budgets’ expenditures, debt problems as well as to the slowdown of economic growth rates.

Keywords: Russian economy, regional budgets, inter budgetary relations

JEL Classification: I31