International Center for Public Policy

Books

Decentralization In Developing Countries: Global Perspectives on the Obstacles to Fiscal Devolution Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & François Vaillancourt Summary 'Some think that decentralization has not gone “far enough” to be considered successful; others argue that it has already “failed”. As the studies of decentralization in 15 developing countries in this volume clearly show, every case is different, and persuasive generalizations are hard to find. Fortunately, the introductory chapter usefully pulls this diverse reality together to highlight some key obstacles to successful decentralization and to suggest some approaches that might [...] lead to better outcomes in the future.’ More information >>

Fiscal Decentralization in Ukraine: Accomplishments and Challenges in the Transition Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Wayne R. Thirsk Summary Ukraine in the 1990s needed to reform its intergovernmental finance system both to increase the overall efficiency of the public sector and to strengthen its nascent democracy. A more transparent system of intergovernmental fiscal relations also held the promise of better addressing the different views about the country’s future in eastern and western parts of the country. Reluctantly, at the beginning of the transition but at full force in the late 1990s, Ukraine joined many other countries around the world in an effort to redefine its system of intergovernmental fiscal relations. This book discusses the fiscal decentralization reform in Ukraine by covering both the deep problems and failures that were encountered for almost a decade and the quite spectacular success of the reforms introduced in 2001. More information >>

Recent Publications

Fiscal Decentralization in Ukraine: Accomplishments and Challenges in the Transition, J. Martinez-Vazquez with Wayne Thirsk, Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY, 2011

The Elgar Guide to Tax Systems, J. Martinez-Vazquez edited with Emilio Albi. Edward Elgar. Forthcoming 2011.

Decentralization in Developing Countries: Global Perspectives on the Obstacles to Political and Economic Devolution, J. Martinez-Vazquez co-editor with François Vaillancourt, Edward Elgar. 2011.

Challenging the Conventional Wisdom on the Property Tax, J. Martinez-Vazquez co-editor with R. Bahl and J. Youngman. Lincoln Institute, Cambridge, MA., 2010.

Understanding Sub-National Government Proliferation in Indonesia, J. Martinez-Vazquez with Muhammad Handry, Asian Development Bank, Manila, 2010.

“State and Local Tax Policy: Out of the Box?”, Sally Wallace, editor, U.K: Edward Elgar, 2010.

Developing Alternative Frameworks for Explaining Tax Compliance, Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, James Alm, Benno Torgler, 2010.

Reforming Regional Tax Assignments in Spain, (in Spanish) co-editor with Santiago Lago, Instituto de Estudios Fiscales, Madrid, 2009

“Decentralization Policies in Asian Countries”, Roy Bahl (with Shinichi Ichimura) editors, (Singapore: World Scientific Press), 2009.

Making the Property Tax Work: Experiences in Developing and Transitional Countries, J. Martinez-Vazquez (editor with Roy Bahl and Joan Youngman), Lincoln Institute, 2008.

The Role of Government in Regional Economic Development, J. Martinez-Vazquez edited with Francois Vaillancourt, Routledge 2008.

Tax Reform in Russia, J. Martinez-Vazquez with M. Rider and S. Wallace Edward Elgar. 2008.

Practical Guide and Decentralization Manual, J. Martinez-Vazquez with A. Timofeev, United Nations Development Program, Bratislava, 2008.

Tax Compliance and Tax Morale, J. Martinez-Vazquez edited with J. Alm and B. Torgler, Routledge, 2008.

Fiscal Reform in Spain, J. Martinez-Vazquez (edited with Jose Felix Sanz) Edward Elgar. 2007.

Fighting Corruption in the Public Sector, J. Martinez-Vazquez with Javier Arze and Jamie Boex, Elsevier, 2007.

“Jamaica’s Tax Reform”, Sally Wallace (with Roy Bahl), Kingston, Jamaica: Planning Institute of Jamaica, 2007.

Fiscal Equalization: Challenges in the Design of Fiscal Equalization and Intergovernmental Transfers, J. Martinez-Vazquez edited with R. Searle, Springer Verlag, 2006

Reforming Regional-Local Fiscal Relations in Russia, J. Martinez-Vazquez with J. Boex and A, Timofeev. The World Bank Institute Learning Series. 2006. Washington D.C.

Local Government Finance Reform in Developing Countries, J. Martinez-Vazquez with Jamie Boex. Palgrave, 2006.

The Challenge of Tax Reform in the Global Economy, J. Martinez-Vazquez (editor with J. Alm amd M. Rider ) Springer-Verlag, 2005

Reforming Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations and the Rebuilding of Indonesia: The ‘Big Bang’ Program and its Economic Consequences, (Eds) J. Martinez-Vazquez with J. Alm Sri Muliani Indrawati . London: Edgar Elgar, 2004

Subnational Finance in the Russian Federation: Continuing Transition Toward a New Federalism, J. Martinez-Vazquez with A. Timofeev and J. Boex, World Bank Institute Learning Resources Series, Washington D.C. 2004.

Taxing the Hard-to-Tax: Lessons from Theory and Practice, Eds. J. Alm, J. Martinez-Vazquez and S. Wallace. The Netherlands: Elsevier, 2004.

Russia’s Transition to a New Federalism, J. Martinez-Vazquez with Jameson Boex, World Bank Institute Learning Resources Series, Washington D.C.: The World Bank, 2001. Translated into Russian 2002. Translated into Chinese 2003.

Public Finance in Developing and Transition Countries, editor J. Martinez-Vazquez with J. Alm, Edgar Elgar, 2003 (translated to Chinese, Russian, and Ukrainian)

Restructuring Local Government Finance in Developing Countries: Lessons from South Africa, Roy Bahl Edited with Paul Smoke, Edward Elgar, 2003.

Methods and Modeling Tools in Tax Administration, Edited J. Martinez-Vazquez with Dmitri Chernik, Moscow: Unity Press, 2001.

Fiscal Policy in China, Roy Bahl; San Francisco: 1990 Institute and the University of Michigan Press, 1999; in Chinese, 2000.

Fiscal Transition in Kazakhstan, J. Martinez-Vazquez with C. McLure and S. Wallace. Manila: Asian Development Bank and Oxford University Press, 1999.

The Guatemalan Tax Reform, J. Martinez-Vazquez With R. Bahl and S. Wallace. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press, 1996.

Taxation and Economic Development: A Blueprint for Tax Reform in Ohio, Roy Bahl Editor. Columbus, Ohio: Battelle Press, 1995.

Urban Public Finance in Developing Countries, Roy Bahl (with Johannes F. Linn). New York: Oxford University Press, 1992; Chinese translation, 1998.

Economic Growth and Fiscal Planning: New York in the 1990s, Roy Bahl (with William Duncombe). New Brunswick: Rutgers Press, 1991.

The Jamaican Tax Reform, Roy Bahl Editor. Cambridge, Mass.: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 1991.

Public Finances During the Korean Modernization Process, Roy Bahl (with Kim Chuk Kyo and Chong Kee Park). Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1986.

Financing State and Local Government in the 1980s, Roy Bahl New York: Oxford University Press, 1984.

Local Government Finance in the Third World: A Case Study of the Philippines, Roy Bahl Editor (with Barbara Miller). New York: Praeger Publishers, 1983.

Urban Government Finance: Emerging Trends, Roy Bahl Editor. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1981.

Public Employment and State and Local Government Finances, Editor Roy Bahl (with Jesse Burkhead and Bernard Jump, Jr.). Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger Publishing Co., 1980.

The Taxation of Urban Property in Less Developed Countries, Roy Bahl Editor. Madison, Wisc.: University of Wisconsin Press, 1979.

The Fiscal Outlook for Cities: Implications of a National Urban Policy, Roy Bahl Editor. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1978.

State and Local Government: The Political Economy of Reform, Roy Bahl Editor (with Alan K. Campbell). New York: The Free Press, 1976.

Fiscal Centralization and Tax Burdens: State and Regional Financing of City Services, Roy Bahl (with Walter Vogt). Cambridge, Mass.: Ballinger Press, 1975

Taxes, Expenditures, and the Economic Base: A Case Study of New York City, Roy Bahl (with Alan K. Campbell and David Greytak). New York: Praeger Publishers, 1974.

Metropolitan City Expenditures: A Comparative Analysis, Lexington, Ky, Roy Bahl University of Kentucky Press, 1969.