| ID | 139635 |
| Title Proper | Political economy of property tax in Africa |
| Other Title Information | explaining reform outcomes in Sierra Leone |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Jibao, Samuel S ; Prichard, Wilson |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Effective local government taxation is critical to achieving the governance benefits widely attributed to decentralization, but in practice successful tax reform has been rare because of entrenched political resistance. This article offers new insights into the political dynamics of property tax reform through a case study of Sierra Leone, focusing on variation in experiences and outcomes across the country's four largest city councils. Based on this evidence, the article argues that elite resistance has posed a particularly acute barrier to local government tax reform, but that ethnic diversity has sometimes served to strengthen reform by fragmenting elite resistance. Furthermore, opposition councils have had stronger incentives to strengthen tax collection than councils dominated by the ruling party, in order to increase their fiscal autonomy. More generally, heightened electoral competition can lead to sustained revenue gains by encouraging city councils to adopt a more contractual approach to tax reform that stresses transparency, engagement, and equity. |
| `In' analytical Note | African Affairs Vol. 114, No.456; Jul 2015: p.404-431 |
| Journal Source | African Affairs Vol: 114 No 456 |
| Key Words | Political Economy ; Africa ; Sierra Leone ; Ethnic Diversity ; Property Tax ; Reform Outcomes ; Local Government Taxation ; Property Tax Reform ; Stresses Transparency |