Browse Our Research
Presentation | 2012
Political Economy of Urban Tax Reform in Brazil
Monica Pinhanez
Monica Pinhanez discusses the current tax system in Brazil, including the tax structure and regulations of federal, subnational states, and local governments. She also examines the municipal tax system and revenue collection, analyzing the role and duties of local government in the current Brazilian federal system, and the reforms that are taking place at the local level.
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Presentation | 2011
The Practice and Regulation of Municipal Loans and Bankruptcies in Hungary: The Challenges in 2011.
Izabella Barati-Stec
Since municipal sector spending represents almost 14% of Hungarian GDP, imbalances in municipal finance have a measurable effect at the macroeconomic level. The current government is setting new rules on local borrowing. With the rare two-thirds majority in parliament, it has the chance to introduce long awaited reforms, although they are likely to be met by intense opposition at the local level.
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Presentation | 2011
Villain or Scapegoat?: The Ontario Municipal Board and Land Use Planning in Ontario
Aaron A. Moore
This presentation contrasts the institutions, law, and practices of planning in Ontario with other jurisdictions in Canada and the US. It concludes that the public's frustration with the OMB masks larger issues present in Ontario's planning regime, issues that the removal of the OMB will not address.
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Presentation | 2011
Planning a Region: Infrastructure and and Imagination for North America's Largest City-Region
Bob Yaro
This talk features Bob Yaro, President of the Regional Plan Association, New York City.
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IMFG Paper | 2011
Are There Trends in Local Finance?
Richard M. Bird
There is little evidence of regional, let alone worldwide, trends in local finances. In analyzing and comparing country experiences, it is important to be clear about the different (implicit or explicit) normative models to be found in the literature and exemplified in practice in different countries.
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IMFG Paper | 2011
The Property Tax–in Theory and Practice
Enid Slack
The property tax is considered to be a good tax for local governments, yet property tax revenues rarely account for more than 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in any country. This paper explains why the property tax is under-used by highlighting some of the problems with the tax.
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IMFG Paper | 2011
Financing Large Cities and Metropolitan Areas
Enid Slack
This paper explores the financing of services and infrastructure in large cities and metropolitan areas. Do large cities spend more than smaller cities? Do larger cities have greater fiscal capacity? Are large cities treated differently from other cities? What are the appropriate revenue sources for large cities?
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IMFG Paper | 2011
Coping with Change: The Need to Restructure Urban Governance and Finance in India
M. Govinda Rao and Richard M. Bird
This paper identifies some key reforms needed to ensure more citizen participation and greater accountability in urban governance, and to augment and strengthen the capacity of Indian cities to deliver more adequate services and provide needed urban infrastructure.
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Search Research Archive
CBC News: Aaron Moore on Political Engagement of Young Voters
October 14, 2026
Vancouver Sun: Andy Yan and Stewart Prest on the Upcoming Vancouver Election
October 14, 2026
Spacing: IMFG Pre-Election Series Brief Cited in Discussion on Vancouver Property Tax Freezes
October 13, 2026
