Investitionsförderung im Finanzföderalismus

Capital spending of local governments has shown large disparities for many years. This holds despite economic growth and various forms of federal financial assistance. In 2015, the federal government set up special transfers substituting local investments targeting a group of financially weak communities. This programme might be described as a landmark of German fiscal federalism, strengthening the path of growing interdependencies. What stood out about this programme was that it would explicitly address financially weak communities for the first time. Despite using federal funds, each state was allowed to make the decision on its own. In the end, 13 states came up with a large variety of definitions of financially weak communities, motivated by both factual and political reasons. This article presents and analyses the range of definitions of in-between states.     

Die heimlichen Entscheider

Facing the spread and importance of information technology, the lack of empirical studies of IT journalists must be considered a research gap. The small group of IT journalists includes important gatekeepers in the IT market, who play a major part in determining the success and failure of IT products. To examine the powerful position derived from this role is the central aim of this study: How do IT journalists in Germany perceive their influence on buyers and users of IT products? How do they perceive their influence on the IT industry? Based on an online survey of 102 IT journalists in Germany, the study measures subjective perceptions of effects on the general audience and the industry. The findings indicate that IT journalists view themselves as influencing consumer decisions of the general audience as well as corporations’ decisions in product development. However, these perceptions of effects are not related to (1) the audience size of the IT medium, or to journalists’ images of (2) the audience and (3) the IT industry. The perception of their own influence seem to be commonplace among IT journalists, independent of the power of media outlets and particular professional perceptions. The accuracy of journalists’ perceptions of effects and their normative implications are discussed.     

Disparitäten in der Entwicklung der Gemeindesteuern

Generally, taxes are the most relevant source of revenue for German municipalities. In the period from 2004 to 2014, tax revenues were growing at remarkable rates. However, statistical analyses show that not all municipalities were benefitting in the same way, and thus state-wide averages are of limited value, since they tend to whitewash inner-state inequality. Disparities are even significant in states with strong economic fundamentals. According to absolute measures, disparities are growing at the national level. This can be explained by a few tax-strong outliers. In contrast, relative inequality remains static. The alarming finding is that intertemporal mobility among municipalities in the allocation of tax revenues is limited, and thus tax-weak municipalities face a cloudy outlook.     

Konsolidierungsprogramme der Länder für finanzschwache Kommunen

Many German states set up special financial assistance programmes focusing on municipalities in fiscal distress. As a result, participating authorities show significant improvements in crucial financial indicators. However, there are some adverse effects in the indicators, as well. In particular, tax revenue is below average, welfare spending is continuously increasing and investment figures point toward further decline. Those findings demonstrate an ongoing and lasting fiscal burden on those authorities.