1. Meeting Everyday Challenges in Rural Communities: Understanding the role of discretion in municipal financial management
Presenters: Becky Lipton, Victoria Hagens
Authors: Victoria Hagens, Becky Lipton, Benoy Jacob, and Bill Reimer
Contact:

2. Meeting local needs… Challenges to local government ?
How do local governments innovate?
How can innovation be enhanced?
How does governance differ between rural and urban?

3. Meeting local needs… Municipalities shape the… Built environment
Local economy
Social order

4. Our hypothesis Greater discretion Autonomy
Better able to meet local needs

5. Discretion Range of choices available Freedom to innovate
Implies some level of autonomy

6. Our hypothesis Greater discretion Autonomy
Better able to meet local needs

7. Constraints on discretion
Provincial level constraints
Regulations (initiative autonomy)
Funding
Local level constraints
Resources (skills, expertise, tax levels)
Local support

8. Methodology 4 case studies: Examination of provincial legislations
2 Ontario
2 Saskatchewan
Examination of provincial legislations
Interviews
administrators
politicians

9. Case study 1: Use of discretionary power & capacity Lawrencetown
Shannon

10. Case study 1: Use of discretionary power & capacity Conditions:
Input from citizens
Increases in local revenues
Higher levels of expertise and resources

11. Discretion without resources:
Case study 2:
Discretion without resources:
the role of autonomy
Hampsen
Hollow Corner

12. Discretion without resources:
Case study 2:
Discretion without resources:
the role of autonomy
Lessons:
Local discretion helps mitigate fiscal stress
Discretion and freedom from legislative constraints must coincide with available resources

13. Conclusions on discretion
Diversity in ability to use discretion
Main constraints on discretion are lack of resources (staff, expertise, finances)
Local: Resources and inability to raise taxes
Provincial: Increased responsibilities without funding

14. Conclusions on autonomy
Autonomy is not a concern
Legislative autonomy is sufficient
Desire for more funding
More autonomy does not lead to increased capacity without financial resources

15. Meeting Local Needs… Discretion is important
The use of discretion is dependant on:
legislative autonomy
Funding
local resources
local support

16. Meeting Everyday Challenges in Rural Communities: Understanding the role of discretion in municipal financial management
Presenters: Becky Lipton, Victoria Hagens
Authors: Victoria Hagens, Becky Lipton, Benoy Jacob, and Bill Reimer
Contact: