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Policy,Resarch,and ExternalAffair|
WORKING PAPERS
Pubic Economlvic
Department
CountryEconomics
TheWorldBank
1990
December
WPS557
The New
Fiscal Federalism
in Brazil
Anwar Shah
Fiscal arrangementsin Brazil severely constrain the federal
government's ability to fulfill its mandate as a national government. Municipalgovernments,meanwhile,have morerevenues than they need,encouragingfiscalmismanagement.Reform is urgentlyneededto counteractBrazil's fiscalimbalance.
wodinpropessand
EePo<iligy.R candExtemflAffaiComplexdnbutPREWoddngPaptoaninatethefindingsof
to enamungctheexchangeof ideasamongBankstaffand all othas inteeed in developnentissues.lese papes cany thenamesof
and conclusio armthe
the authors,rflect onlytheir viws. andshouldbe used andcited accordinglyThe findings,interpretations,
authonsown.Theyshouldnot be atrbted to theWorldBank,its Boardof Dicos, its managaetnt,or any of its membercountrie.s
Policy,Research,and Externa Afbira
PubilcEconomlks|
WPS557
This paper - a product of the Public Economics Division, Country Economics Departnent - is part of
a larger effort in PRE to reform public sector management in developing countries. It is one of a series of
discussion papers prepared for the Intergovemmental Fiscal Relations Project of the Public Economics
Division. Copies are available free from the World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433.
Please contact Ann Bhalla, room N10-059, extension 37699 (117 pages).
Brazil is a three-tiered federation of 24 states,
two federal territories, a federal district (the
capital), and 4,300 municipalities. In 1989 less
than half of all govemment spending was
controled by the federal govemment. Brazil's
new constitution gave autonomous broad powers
to states and municipalities on certain tax and
spending functions, with municipalities independent of and coequal to states.
Shah reviewed and analyzed the
intergovenmmentalfiscal relations in Brazil. He
found that:
* Federal and state governments are involved
in purely local functions in an uncoordinated
fashion.
* Conditional transfers are arbitrary and
driven primarily by political considerations.
Programs woric at cross-purposes and the subjective nature of these transfers may be sending the
wrong signals to lower levels of govemment
about laxity in fiscal management.
* Revenue-sharing constrains the federal
govemment's ability to fulfill its mandate as a
national govemment and is conducive to fiscal
mismanagement as local govemments are shying
away from raising revenues from property taxes
and user charges. The municipal govenmments
have more money than they need. The state
governments also face a financial squeeze but it
should be short-lived as they have access to the
value-added tax, a dynamic source of revenues
The federal govemment's problem is structural.
* The administration of sales tax by all three
levels creates duplication and confusion.
Its revenues fall far short of its spending needs.
* In short, existing fiscal arrangements have
* Administration of the general value-added
tax by the state involves unresolved issues about
tax crediting on interstate trade.
created a vertical fiscal imbalance.
Shah presents policy options to resolve these
problems.
* The state and municipal revenue-sharing
funds do not distribute revenues fairly and
equitably.
The PRE Working PaperSeries disseminatesthe findingsof work underway in the Bank's Policy, Research,and External
AffairsComplex.An objective of theseriesis to get thesefmdingsoutquickly,even if presentationsareless thanfullypolished.
The findings, interpretations, and conclusions in these papersdo not necessarilyrepresentofficial Bank policy.
Producedby the PRE DisseminationCenter
TH NEWFISCALFEDERALISMIN BRAZIL
by Anwar Shah *
Table of Contents
1.0
PERSPECTIVES ON THE NEW FEDERALISM IN BRAZIL .......
1.1
Expenditure Assigmr.ent:Theory and Practice in Brazil .....
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.2
1.3
1.4
D
...........
Expenditure Assigmnent Under the 1988Constitution .....
.......
Conceptual Basis of Expenditure Assignment .....
.............
Expenditure Assigmmentin Brazil and Implications for
Efficient and Equitable Provisionof Public Services .....
........
1
1
3
5
Tax Assignment:Theory and Practice in Brazil.
8
1.21
1.22
1.23
8
9
The Theory of Tax Assignment.
Tax Assignment in Brazil.
Implications for Tax Policyand Administration.12
Vertical and Horizontal Fiscal Imbalances ...........................
13
1.31
1.32
13
19
Vertical Fiscal Imbalance in Brazil ..........................
Horizontal Fiscal Imbalance in Brazil .........
..............
Brazil in Relation to Other Federations: An ImpressionisticView ....
1.41
1.42
1.5
1.......
The Practice of Federalism in Selected Countries .....
An ImpressionisticEvaluation ..............................
.....
..........
19
22
24
Conclusions .27
This is one of series of discussionpapers prepared for the IntergovermmentalFiscal Relations
project of the Public Economics Division. The project is directed by Anwar Shah. The author
is grateful to Antulio Bomfimfor research assistanceand to Dr. Ricardo Luiz Santiago,former
Deputy Minister of Planning,Brazil and currently Operations PolicyAdvisor,Inter-American
Development Bank, Dr. Consentino Tavares, Director General, Ministry of Finance, Brazil,
Jose Pio Martins, Director General, Ministryof Finance, the State of Parana, Diago Loudelle
de Mello, IBAM, Rio, Brazil, and Drs. Johannes Linn, Bela Balassa, Peter Knight, Javad
Shirazi, Martha de Melo, Gobind Nankani, Demetrios Papageorgiou, Robert Schneider, Ms.
Helena Cordeiro and Antonio Estache, World Bank for helpful discussions.
ii
2.0
INTERGOVERNMENTAL
2.1
2.2
2.4
2.5
3.0
..
..........
30
30
2.11
2.12
32
36
State Participation Fund (FPE: Fundo de Participacao dos Estados) .
Municipal Participation Fund (FPM) .........................
Specific Purpose Transfers
...................
...................
36
Negotiated Transfers (Conveinios) ...........................
41
Intergovernmental Transfers: A Conceptual Perspective ................
51
2.31
Grant Types .............
..............................
2.311 Non-matching Transfers .............................
2.312 Selective Matching Transfers .........................
51
51
54
2.32
The Economic Rationale for Intergovernmental Transfers ....
.....
58
Intergovernmental Transfers in Brazil: An Economic Evaluation
64
2.41
Tax Sharing Program: A Closer Examination ..................
2.411 States Participation Fund: A Critical Look ...............
2.412 Municipal Participation Fund: A Review .................
65
65
66
2.42
Negotiated Transfers: An Examination
68
Reform Options
2.51
2.52
2.53
2.6
........
Revenue Sharing Arrangements in Brazil ...........................
2.21
2.3
TRANSFERS IN BRAZIL
.......................
.......................
.......................
70
Revenue Sharing ........................................
Negotiated Transfers .....................................
Equalization Program ....................................
71
72
72
State-Municipal Transfers in Brazil ................................
75
2.61
2.62
2.63
75
80
80
State-Municipal Revenue Sharing ...........................
Conditional Transfers ....................................
An Evaluation and Policy Recommendations ...................
SUMMARY AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
..........
...........
84
3.1
The Assignment Issues .........................................
84
3.2
Issues in Intergovernmental Transfers ..............................
85
3.3
Implications of Existing Arrangements
88
3.4
Proposals for Reform ..........................................
.............................
89
...
APPENDIX A
THE DESIGN OF A FISCAL EQUALIZATION PROGRAM: ISSUES AND OPTIONS
APPENDIX B
OPERATIONAL MECHANISMS OF CONVENIOS ..........................
APPENDIX C
THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS OF SUDS ......
REFERENCES
..
92
101
103
......................
112
.....................................................
1.0
PERSPECFIVESON THE NEWFEDERALISMIN BRAZIL
Brazil represents a three-tiered federation of 24 states, two federal territories of Roraima
and Amapa( to become states on January 1, 1991),a Federal Districtcomprisingthe national capital of
Brasilia, and 4300 municipalities. Brazil represents one of the most decentralized federations in
comparison to other developing nations. In 1989, less than 50% of consolidated federal-state-local
government expenditures were controlled by the federal government. The new BrazilianConstitution
promulgatedon October 5, 1988has given autonomous broad powers to states and .ncinalities in
certain tax and expenditure functions. Municipalgovernments in other federations are usuallyhandmaiden of state governmentswhereas the Brazilianconstitution recognizestheir independent and coequal status.
A review of tax and expenditure assignment is thus critical to an examination of
intergovernmentalfiscalrelations in Brazil. In the following,we reviewexpenditure and taxassignment
in Brazil;reflect on the conceptualbasis for such assignmentand present a comparative perspectiveon
this issuedrawingon the experiences of selected federations.
1.1
1.11
Expenditure Assignment:Theory and Practice in Brzil
Expenditure Assignment Under the 1988Constitution.
Table 1 provides basic details on expenditure assignment in BraziL The constitution
recognizesthree separate levelsof government in the federation and delineates their responsibilities.
Defense, foreignrelations, currency, postal'services,planning,nuclear energy,national highwaysand
regulation of labour conditions, foreign and ;nterstate commerce, finance, banking and insurance,
commercialadvertising,inter-state transport, telecommunicationsand data processing,energy, mining,
employmentinsurance,socialsecurity,immigrationand naturalizationand native rightsare the exclusive
domain of the federal government. Health, education, culture, protection of environment and natural
resources, hydroelectricity,agriculture,food distribution, housing,sanitation, socialwelfare and police
are the joint responsibilityof federal and state governments with the federal govermmentsetting
standards and state governments havingthe responsibilityfor deliveryof these services. Municipal
1
2
Table 1
EXPENDITUREASSIGNMENTIF BRAZIL
Responsible
Level of
Government
ExpenditureCategory
Federal only
Defence
Foreign Affairs
InternationalTrade
Currency, banking
Use of water resources
National Highways
Planning; regional and natural
Postal service
Police: federal and frontier a-eas
Regulationof labor, inter-statecommerce,
telecommunications,inter-statetransport,
urban development,energy, mining,
employmentinsurance,immigration,
citizenshipand native rights
Social Security
National Statisticalsystem
Guidelinesand basis for national education
Federal-State(Shared)
Health
Education
Culture
Protectionof the environment and the natural
resources
Agriculture
Food distribution
Housing
Sanitation
Social welfare
Police
Hydroelectricity
State only
Residual powers i.e. any subject not assigned
to federal or municipal levels by the
Constitution.
Municipal only
Public transport (intracity)
Pre-schooland elementaryeducation
Preventivehealth care
Land use
Historicaland culturalpreservation
Source: NOVA CONSTITUICAOBRASILEIRA,1988.
3
governmentshavebeen giventhe legislativeauthority on subjectsof local interest to supplement federal
or state legislation. Furthermore, they have been assigned responsibilitiesin public transport, preschool and elementary education, health care, land use and historicaland cultural preservation. Any
subjects not specifiedby the Constitution have been reserved for state government legislation.
1.12
Conceptual Basis of Expenditure Assignment
Allocationof expenditureand taxfunctionsto variousmember units isthe most fundamental
issuein a federation. Fiscalfederalismliterature argues that expenditure assignmentmust precede tax
assignment.This is because tax assignmentwould in general be guidedby expenditure requirements at
different levels and these cannot be worked out in advance of expenditure assignment. This literature
also provides broad guidance in delineating expenditure responsibilities. For example the so called
"decentialization theorem" advanced by Wallace Oates states that "each public service should be
providedby the jurisdiction havingcontrol over the minimumgeographic area that would internalize
benefits and costs of suc.hprovision"(Oates (1972),p.55 ).1
The abovetheory providesstrong rationale for decentralizeddecit
.
naking on efficiency,
accountability,manageability,and autonomy principles. It is argued that:
1.
Local provision allows governments to cater better to the tastes and needs of local
residents whereas central provisionoften results in more uniform provision;
2.
Decision making is closer to the people for whom the services are intended. This
inducesmore responsivenessto local concernsas wellas more fiscalresponsibilityand
efficiencyof provisionespeciallywhere financingof servicesare decentralized as well;
3.
Eliminates multiple layersof jurisdiction;and
4.
Enhances inter-jurisdictionalcompetition and innovations in the provisionof public
services.
A decentralized system thus ensures consistencyof level and mix of public serviceswith
voters' preferences as wellas providesincentivesfor efficientprovisionof such services. The following
4
economicconsiderationsneverthelesswarrantsome degree of centralization or compensatorygrants in
the provisionof servicesfor which such factors are relevant.
a.
Geographicalvariationsof preferences withimperfect mobility:Note that the Tiebout
mechanismof votingwith one's feet requires smaliopen area and imperfect mobility.
In the presence of imperfect mobility,a decentralized mechanismwould not ensure
matchingof publicserviceswith local preferences.
b.
Spatial Externalities: Spatial externalities arise when benefits and/or costs of public
servicesare realized by non-residents. In the case of benefit-spilloutthe jurisdiction
providingthe service does not considerthe proportion of benefits of a public service
accruingto non-res.dents and thereforewould under-providesuchservice.The reverse
result is obtained in the case of cost spillouts i.e. where the public service could be
financed byexportingtaxesto other jurisdictions.There are also publicserviceswhose
benefits are considered national in scope such as defense and foreign affairs. As a
corollary,these serviceswouldbe best providedbythe government at the highestlevel
i.e. by the federal government.
c.
Economiesofscale:Certain servicesrequire serviceareas largerthanalocaljurisdiction
for cost effective provision. Examples include transportation services,water and
sewerage in a metropolitan area.
d.
Administrative and compliance costs: It is generally agreed that a centralized
administration leads to lower administrativeand compliance costs associated with
financingof public services.
There are alsocertain policyfunctionswhich canbe carried best by the federal government.
For example:
(i)
StabilizationPolicy.Astabilization policycannotbecarriedouteffectivelybya local
jurisdiction.Local pursuit of such a policywouldlead to muchof the gains beinglost
to outsidejurisdictions. A monetary policyhas little srope of beingcarried at a local
leveL
5
(ii)
Redistribution Policies:Effective redistributionis possible only through w.rograms
which are national in scope. A local jurisdiction that attempts to carry out
redistributivepolicies is likely to driveout the rich. The City of New York faced a
fiscalcrisis as a result of redistributiveprograms caoied out in early eighties.
The above discussionsuggestsfederal government be givenexclusiveauthority in carrying
outstabilization policiesandprovidingpublicserviceswhosebenefitsarenational inscope (seeBoadway
1980,1989).The federal governmentalso has a redistributiverolewhich couldbe exercisedthrough the
tax and transfer systemor through joint provisionof publicservicessuch as education and health which
primarilyserve as "transfersin kind". The federal government also maybe assigned a role in providing
compensatorygrants for spilloutof benefits fromstate level provisionof services. A similarrole for each
state is in order for spillout of benefits from local provision of serviceswithin their jurisdictions. All
other services would be best provided by the local governments with federal and state governments
havingsome role in defining minimumstandards.
Table 2 provides a summary view of broad guidance provided by economic theory and
discussedabove. As shown by this Table, reasonably clear expenditure assignmentemerges from the
basic economic principles. The followingparagraphs provide a commentary on the expenditure
assignmentin Brazil based on these guidelines.
1.13
Ex: enditureAssignment in BrazilandImF .rationsForEfficientandEquitableProvision
of Publc Services
A comparison of Table 2 with Table I indicates that expenditure assignment done by the
Constitution correspondsfairlycloselyto the expenditureassignmentsuggestedby economicprinciples.
Current practicesin servicedeliverybyvarious levelsof governmentare at substantial variancefrom the
Constitutional assignment. In the areas of education, health, urban transportation, recreation and
culture, child and old age care and social assistance,all three levelsare involvedin an uncoordinated
2 Current difficultiesin overlapping and
fashion leadingto muchconfusion and chaos in servicedelivery.
duplicationof functionsin certain areas thus must be attributable to pre-1988Constitution traditions.
6
Table 2
CONCEPTUALBASIS OF EXPENDITUREASSIGNMENT
ExpenditureCategory
Service
Provision
Responsibility of Service
Defence
Foreign Affairs
InternationalTrade
Environment
Currency,banking
Interstatecommerce
Immigration
UnemploymentInsurance
Airlines/Railways
Industry and Agriculture
Education
Health
Social Welfare
Police
Highways
Natural Resources
Notes: F: Federal
S: State
L: Municipal-Local
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F,S,L
F,S,L
F,S,L
F,S,L
S,L
F,S,L
F,S,L
F
F
F
S,L
F
F
F
F
F
S,L
S,L
S,L
S,L
S,L
S,L
S,L
Comments
Benefits/costsnational in scope
n
7
For examplein the area of education the current Constitution sees Federal governmentsimplysetting
the normsand leavingthe provisionto state and municipallevels. Contraryto Constitutionalstipulation
discussed above Federal Government nevertheless continues to be involved in direct delivery of
education services at secondary school, college and university levels and in an isolated instance in
elementaryeducation as well. Furthermore the Constitutiongives localgovernment exclusivemandate
in the deliveryof elementary education but the deliveryof secondaryand higher levelsof education has
beer,left open. Local provisionof secondaryeducationwouldprovideincentivesfor allocativeefficiency
as wellas encourage innovativelearning programs. It is best for the federal government to have a hands
off approach in these areas and the State governmentsto assume regulatoryrole by monitoringstudent
achievement through standardized tests and by setting minimumservice standards. Undergraduate
education because of significant spillo-.ersbeyond local jurisd: tions but presumably insignificant
spilloversbeyondstate boundariesis a logicalcandidatefor state level assignment.Universityeducation
on the other hand is expected to havesignificantspilloutsbeyond state boundariesand therefore should
be a joint responsibilityof Federal and State levels. As envisagedby the Constitution, however, the
prc' dsionof thisserviceshouldbe state responsibilitywiththe federalgoverrment assuminga monitoring
role and providingcompensatorygrants for benefit spilloutsor to ensure minimumstandards of such
service across states.
Similarproblemsexistincurrent deliverypracticesforurban transportation. Urban corridors
are constructed and maintained by all three levels and sometimes suffer .eglect because of unclear
responsibilitiesfor maintenance and upkeep. Intra-urban bus servicesin some states are operated by
the State. A decentralized systemof urban transport provisionwouldbe more attuned to mcetinglocal
needs and to adjustmentsbased on changinglocal conditions. Thus both federal and state governments
have no clear role for intra-urban transportation provisionissues. Their role should simplybe confined
to providingtechnical assistance,monitoring and setting service standards. In today's Brazil, federal
government is often invo!vedin direct provision of urban transportation network and servicesand this
sometimescreates significantdifficultiesforlocal governmentsin their decisionsto upgradelocalservices
or modifyexistingnetworks.
Some purely local functions such as fairs, public markets, slaughterhouses are also being
performed by federal and state governmentsin several municipalities. Electricityand telephones are
provided by federal public utilties. Public provision of these essentiallyprivate goods needs to be
reviewed. Responsibilityfor water and sewer which ate generally retognized as local services was
transferred from the municipal to the state level in 1967in view of the assistance available to state
governmentsthrough theNational SanitationPlan (PLANASA).Thischangeoverresulted insubstantial
expansion of service to new towns but emphasis on cost r%coveryhas precluded extension of these
servicesto slum areas of larger cities and metropolitan areas.
In conclusion,constitutional assignmentof expenditure function is broadlyconsistent with
economic principlesbut a clear case can be made for bringingthe practice or de facto assignment in
conformitywith the decentralization theme enunciated by the new Brazilianconstitution.
1.2
1.21
TAXASSIGNMIENT:THEORYAND PRACTICEIN BRAZIL
The Theory of Tax Asslgnent
The divisionof revenue sources among federal and lower levels of government is being
referred here as the 'tax assignmentproblem'. Once expenditureassignmenthas been agreed upon, tax
assignment and design of transfers become critical elements in providing reasonable matching of
expenditureneeds with revenue meansforvarious levelsofgovernment. Although taxassignmentcould
be undertaken independently of expenditr
assignment-a practice which is quite common in
developingcountries, yet the tradeoffsbetween the advantagesof a centralized tax administration and
decentralized provision of public services become more apparent when tax assignment takes into
considerationpre-determined expenditure assignment. In such a situation over-dependence of lower
levelsofgovernmentonintergovernmentaltransferswithpotentiallydistortionaryeffectsonexpenditure
priorities could be avoided. Furthermme, in those grey areas where theoretical guidance on tax
assignment is unclear, expenditure a
nt
can provide a powerful argument for assigning Ltxing
responsibilitytothegovermentwithgreater oedforadditionalrevenues. Musgrave( 1984)usesequity
9
(consistencyof revenue meanswith expenditureneeds) and efficiency( minimizingresourcecost)
criteriaandsuggeststhe followingbroad principlesin taxassignment;
L
Progressiveredistnbutivetaxesshouldbe central;
ii
Taxessuitableforeconomicstabilization
shouldbecentral;lowerleveltaxesshouldbe
cyclically
stable;
iii.
Taxbasesdistributedhighlyunequallybetweenjurisdictionsshouldbe centralized;
iv.
Taxeson mobilefactorsof productionare best administeredat the centre;
v.
Residencebasedtaxessuchassalesof consumptiongoodsto consumersor excisesare
suitedfor states;
vi
Taxeson completelyimmobilefactorsare bestsuitedfor locallevel;
viL
Benefittaxesand userchargesmightbe appropriatelyusedat all levels.
Basedon theseprinciples,reasonablyclearguidelinesfor assignmentof revenuesourcesto
variouslevelsof governmentemerge.Table3 providesa summaryviewofsuchassignment.The Table
suggeststhat for certain taxessuch as resourcetaxes or a value-addedtax (VAT) base and rate
determinationandcollectionand administrationcouldbe assignedto differentlevelsof government.
By followingthis approachboth inter-jurisdictional
equity and efficiencyof tax administrationand
compliancecouldbe achieved. It shouldbe noted that the theorycontravenesthe advicesometimes
offeredbyinternationalagenciesto developingcountriesthat localtaxeson wageand capitalincome
shouldbe instituted.Withfactormobility,basesfor suchtaxeswouldbe subjectto erosion. Also,such
a regimeencouragestaxcompetitionamongvariousjurisdictions.
1.22
TaxAssignmentInBrazl
Table 4 providesan overviewof existingtax assignmentin Brazil. Federalgovernment
assumesexclusiveresponsibility
for the taxeson income,payroll,wealth(largefortunes),foreigntrade,
bankin6financeandinsurance,ruralproperties,hydroelctricityandmineralproducts.It haspartially
overlappingresponsibility
withstate andlocalgovernmentsfor taxationof industrialproducts.The
10
Table 3
CONCEPTUALBASIS OF TAX ASSIGNMENT
Tax
Determinationof
Base
Rate
Tax Collection
& Administration
Customs
Income Tax
Estates & Gifts
Corporate Tax
Resource Tax
Retail Sales
F
F
F
F
F
S
F
F
F,S
F,S
F,S
F,S
S
S
F
F
F
F
S
S
F
VAT
Excises
Property tax
User charges
F
S
S
F,S,L
F,S
S
L
F,S,L
F,SC
S
L
F,S,L
Notes: F: Federal
S: State/Province
L: Municipal/Local
SC: The Council of States
Comments
InternationalTrade
Redistributive
Redistributive
Mobile Factor
Unequally distributed
Higher compliancecost
Harmonized, lower
compliancecost.
11
Table 4
TAX ASSIGNWENT IN BRAZIL - 1990
Responsibility
Base
Rate
Adnn.
Revenue Source
1993 Disposition of Revenues (S)
Federal
States
Municipalities
Federal (F1:
Income Tax (IR):
Personal
Corporate
Payroll Tax (CSE)
Large Fortunes (Wealth) Tax (IGF)
Import Tax (IN)
Export Tax (IE)
Tax on Financial Operations and
Insurance (IDF/IOC)
Rural Property Tax (ITR)
Tax on Industrial Products (IPI)
Hydroelectricity Tax
Mineral Products Tax
53.0
24.5(a)
22.5
F
F
F,S
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
33.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
66.7
0.0
0.0
0.0
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
100.0
50.0
43.0
5.0
5.0
0.0
0.0
32.0(b)
45.0
45.0
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
75.0
100.0
50.0
100.0
25.0
0.0
50.0
0.0
M
M
M
M
M
m
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
100.0
100.0
n
M
M
M
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
50.0
25.0
50.0
50.0
States (S)
General value-added tax (ICMS)
Inheritance and gift taxes (CMD)
Motor Vehicles Registration Tax (IPVA)
Supplementary Capital Gains Tax
Municipal±ties (M):
Services Tax (ISS)
Urban Property Tax (IPTU)
Tax on Retail sales of fuels except
diesel (IVVCLG)
Property transfers (ITBI)
Frontage tax (Special assessment levy)
Source:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Notes:
(a)
(b)
(c)
M
M
r
M
M
NOVA CONSTITUICAO BRAZILEIRA 1988, Sistema Journal
Tributacao e do Orcamento", pp.67-78.
Lei do Senado No. 165 (11/89)
Lei Complemantar No. 104, Camara dos Deputados.
Projeto de Lei Complementar No. 104-A, 1989.
do Brasil,
Article
VI,
RDa
Includes 32 to finance programs to be administered by Development Banks of the NorthEast, North and Center-West regions.
Includes (a) plus an additional 102 of IPI as compensation to exporting states for
loss of revenues from ICHS on account of exports.
The Union must apply at least 182, states 252, and municipalities 252 of all tax
revenues and transfers on education.
12
federal government allowsstates to levysupplementaryrates upto 5%on the federal bases for personal
and corporate incomes.
The mainstay of state governmentsrevenues is the general value-addedtax on goods and
services.This taxis administeredby the Councilof states havingfinance ministersof all states including
the Federal District as its members. Anychangesin the taxbase or rates must be presented byindividual
states for approval by the CounciL The Councilhas resistedchanges in tax rates quite stronglybut has
acceded to requests from various states for exemptingcertain commodities/servicesfrom the tax base.
Inter-state tax credit issuesfor the value-addedtax continue to take a great deal of the Council'stime.
The states have also accessto taxationof inheritance and gifts and motor vehiclesregistrations. States
derive 72% of their revenues from these three taxes.
Municipalitiesare empoweredto levytaxeson services,urban properties, retailsales of fuels
except diesel; property transfers (intervivos)and special assessments(frontage). Municipalitiesraise
18% of revenues from these sources.
1.23
Implications For Tax Policyand Administration
A comparison of Table 3 with Table 4 shows that the tax assignment done by the new
Constitution in Brazilis broadlyconsistentwith economicprinciplesenunciated above. Some problems
remain, nevertheless. These problems are mainlyin the area of sales taxes. Tax bases for the federal
manufacturerlevelsalestaxonindustrialproducts and thestategeneralvalue-added tax (ICMS)partially
overlapbut are administeredseparatelyby the two levels. Similarlytaxbases for ICMS and local taxon
services(ISS) overlap but are administered in an uncoordinated fashion. Brazil is unique in being the
only country with a subnational VAT called ICMS. While tax collection of ICMS is in the hands of
individualstates, taxrates and base isdetermined bythe Councilof States. This shouldin principleresult
in tax harmonization as well as a clearing house for interstate VAT tax credit claims. In practice, the
Councilhas been quite receptive to givingindividualstates some flexibilityin definingown tax bases for
ICMS. This has the potential of eliminatinguniformityof the ICMS base over time. Also resolution of
interstate ICMS tax credit issuescontinue to elude the CounciL
13
It would be desirable to consolidateIPI, ICMS and ISS into a single taxadministeredby the
federal government and proceeds shared with state and local governmentsbased on a formula which
allocates revenues to the three levels in roughly the same proportion as their current intakes and to
individualunits based on originprinciple. Tax base determination for harmonization purposes should
be the responsibilityof the federal governmentwhereasstates and municipalities,iftheyso choose,could
levysupplemental rates.
There is no specificadvantagein federal government administeringthe rural property tax
(ITR). 1TRis more appropriate revenue source for state and locallevels. Anyrural property under the
jurisdictionof a municipalityshould be subject to taxation by the municipalityconcemed. State level
governmentson the other hand should be responsiblefor both the administration and final disposition
of revenues on account of this tax in unincorporated areas within state boundaries.
1.3
Vertical and Horizontal Fiscal Imbalances
Vertical fiscalimbalance refers to the mismatchbetween revenue means and expenditure
needs at various levels and the horizontal imbalance refers to inconsistencybetween revenue raising
abilityand fiscalneeds of governmentsat the same level in a federation. These issues are discussedin
the followingsections.
1.31
Vertical Fiscal Imbalance in Brazil
Some degree of mismatchbetween revenue means and expenditure needs at various levels
is common to all federations. Efficiencyin tax administration for certain revenues requires central
administration and this in itselfcontnbutes to the vertical imbalance problem. Thus after expenditure
and tax assignmenthave been completed, revenue sharing and transfers are frequently used to correct
for any imbalances that result from assignment of responsibilities. However, revenue sharing and
transfer mechanismsdue to difficultiesin design or due to conflictingclaimsof relativeneeds by various
levels of government may not fully resolve this issue. In Brazil, constitutional transfers attempt to
14
address this issue. Tables 5 and 6 quantify revenues at the disposalof various governments before and
after revenue sharingimpacts. With the newtaxassignmentand transfers,federal governmentshistorical
positionvis-a-visstate and localgovernments has significantlydeteriorated. States now command one
of the most dynamicrevenue base (ICMS) and municipalitiesare guaranteed a largeshare of federal and
state revenue collections.Whilea precisecalculationof the magnitudeof the squeeze on the bigbrother
put by the new fiscal arrangements must await more careful analysis,Table 7 presents some rough
estimatesto outline the broad picture of verticalimbalancethat characterizesBrazilof today. According
to these calculations, federal and state governments' revenue means significantlyfall short of their
expenditure needs. The opposite situation holds for municipalgovernments. The table shows that
federal government would be (if it is already not) in dire straits if it continued to follow in future as in
past years a broader interpretation of its responsibilities.State level governmentsas a whole face some
difficultiesnowbut these maynot persist in the long run in viewof expected growth of ICMS revenues.
Municipalgovernmentsin Brazil,on the other hand, shouldbe the envyof allgovernmentsin developing
(or even advanced nations) world.
So far we have concerned ourselveswith reaching broad judgements on vertical balance in
Brazil alone. It would be interesting to reflect howBrazil compares to advanced country federations.
Unfortunately, there are no satisfactorymeasures at our disposal to reflect on this question. Three
measuresproposed by Hunter (1977)and previouslyusedby Bird (1986)and others attempt to measure
the degree of control exercised by the federal government over lower levels of governments. These
measures are termed as coefficients of vertical imbalance. The way these measures are structured
suggests that a coefficient of zero would indicate absolute federal control over state and local
governments and a coefficient of one would indicate that lower levels of governments are absolutely
autonomous in their decision making. Note that while a high value on this coefficient is desirable, a
value of one has never been a goalin any federation. A value closerto but certainly lessthan one would
also be consistentwith the assignmentprinciplesenunciated earlier. Table 8 presents three calculations:
one consideringconditionaltransfers and borrowingonly,a second one by incorporatingunconditional
transfers and a third one by bringingin shared taxes as well. On the first two coefficients,Brazil does
better than selected advanced federations reported there. On the third coefficient, considering
15
Table 5
BRAZIL: TAX REVENUE COLLECTIONSBY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
Year
Union
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987*
1988*
48.1
53.3
19.6
49.5
49.5
49.2
51.0
48.8
50.7
51.3
15.8
51.5
53.7
54.4
56.4
58.3
58.5
59.8
59.0
62.3
60.9
58.2
58.3
58.7
58.2
57.2
57.8
56.9
57.6
53.5
54.2
47.1
Shares (X1
_
States
Municipalities
43.3
41.2
49.6
44.5
44.6
44.5
42.5
44.8
42.5
41.4
49.4
44.7
42.7
41.9
40.0
37.8
37.7
36.9
37.0
33.1
34.0
36.1
35.9
36.2
36.7
37.6
37.0
38.6
38.3
42.2
41.6
49.4
* Preliminarydata
Source: MINIFAZ/SEF unpublisheddata.
8.0
7.5
6.4
6.0
5.9
6.3
6.5
6.5
6.8
7.3
4.8
3.8
3.7
3.7
3.6
3.8
3.8
3.8
4.1
4.6
5.2
5.7
5.9
5.1
5.1
5.2
5.2
4.5
4.1
4.3
4.2
3.6
All
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
16
Table 6
BRAZIL: FINAL DISPOSITIONOF REVENUESBY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
Year
Union
Revenue Shares
States
Municipalities
All
1957
1958
1959
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988*
42.7
45.7
43.3
43.2
41.8
39.6
41.9
39.6
39.0
40.6
36.9
40.6
45.8
45.7
47.7
49.7
49.1
50.2
50.3
51.4
50.2
47.3
47.5
49.3
49.2
48.0
48.4
46.8
44.7
39.5
42.5
33.4
46.0
44.7
47.9
48.2
49.7
48.9
46.0
48.5
48.1
46.3
45.2
42.6
39.8
39.6
38.4
36.5
37.1
36.2
36.0
34.4
34.8
36.7
36.3
35.5
34.8
35.7
35.2
36.5
37.5
40.7
38.6
50.7
11.3
9.5
8.9
8.5
8.6
11.5
12.0
11.9
12.9
13.1
17.9
16.9
14.4
14.7
13.9
13.8
13.7
13.6
13.7
14.3
15.0
16.0
16.2
15.2
15.9
16.3
16.4
16.7
17.8
19.9
18.8
15.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
1993**
36.5
40.7
22.8
100.0
* Preliminarydata
** Estimate
Source: MINIPAZ/SEP Unpublisheddata
17
Table 7
VERTICAL IMBALANCEIN BRAZIL
Revenue
Share a
Expenditure
Share b
Surplus/
Deficiency c
Federal
36.5
43.4
- 6.9
States
40.7
43.0
- 2.3
Municipalities
22.8
13.6
+ 9.2
All levels
100.0
100.0
0.0
Notes: a. Final disposition of all revenues based on a fully phased in
system of constitutionaltransfers in 1993.
b. Actual 1988 expenditures
c. Ignores borrowing.
18
Table 8
COEFFICIENTSOF VERTICAL BALANCE FOR SELECTED FEDERATIONS
Country
Australia
Canada
West Germany
United States
Brazil (a)
(b)
Y1
Y2
0.68
0.79
0.84
0.81
0.93
0.91
0.35
0.71
0.82
0.81
0.89
0.87
Y3
0.55
0.80
0.85
0.85
0.83
0.76
Notes:
V1 - 1 - (Sc+B)/E
V2 - I - (Su+Sc+B)/E
V3
-
I - (Su+SC+B+Ts)/E
Where Sc
au
B
E
Federal conditionaltransfers to states
- Federal unconditionaltransfers to states
- Net borrowingby states
- States expenditures
Ts - Shared Taxas
-
(a) for states only
(b) for the consolidatedState-Localpublic sector.
Source: (1) Brazil 1988, this report.
(2) For other countries, six year averages based on data for
1970s. See J.S.H. Hunter, (1977) Federalism and Fiscal
Balance, Canberra: Australian National University, Center for
Research on Federal FinancialRelations.
19
federal-state sector only, Brazil is ahead of Australia and Canada but closelybehind USA and West
Germany. Note that calculations for selected advanced federaitionsare quite dated and somewhat
different valuesare expectedto be obtained based on more recent data especiallyfor Canada in viewof
its significantdecentralization experience of the 1980s. The new data is however unlikely to change
Brazil's relative position in this matrix.
1.32
HorizontalFiscal Imbalancein Brazil
Brazil is a large country with very diverseeconomicopportunities across its vast landscape.
Per capita incomein Rondonia, one of the poorest states is only 12% of per capita incomein Sao Paulo,
the richest state in the Union (see Table 9). Further, per capita income in the north and northeast
regions of the country is less than one-half of the national average. Regional equity issues have,
therefore, dominatedthe agenda of all governmentsin its recent history. The federal government uses
its tax, transfer and expenditure policiesin an attempt to reduce regional disparities in public services
provision. The overall impactof the federal government as shown in Table 10 is stronglyredistributive.
Its net impact is negative in the South and Southeast (the have-regions) and positive in the north,
northeast and centre-west regions (the have-not regions). Interstate equalization due to lack of any
explicitstandard of equalization in current federal puliciesremains an elusivegoal. The net impactof
the federal government on the state of Para with 1988per capita income of NCz$266was NCz$0.04as
opposed to NCz$52.31in Acre, a state with about the same per capita income. Total per capita
expenditures of states also show a great deal of disparityas shown in Table 9. The issuesconcerning
equalizationof fiscalcapacitywillbe taken up later under transfers.
1.4
Brazil In Relationto OtherFederations:An ImpressionisticView
Earlier sections took issue with the current expenditure and tax assignmentin Brazil and
reflected upon their implicationsfor vertical and borizontalfiscalimbalancesin the union. Problems of
the sort discussedearlier, however, are not germane to Brazil alone and are a creation of political
Table 9
PROFILEOF BRAZILIANSTATES
AN ECONOMIC
Federal
Unit
Rondonia
Acre
Amazon.s
Roraima
Pars
mapa
NORTH
OWN
OWNREVENUES/EXPENDITURES
GOP
POPULATION
POPDENSITYTOTALFEDERALTRANSFERS
(per capita)EXPEND 1988
MANUFAC
V.A.
1988
current NCz3 REVENUES
1988 (CURRENT
NCzS)
1984
1988
1988
1988
per capita
per capita
thousands (people/sq.k
Tax
Other
Total per capita
1988
(NCzl)
(per capita)
(NCz3)
0.17
128.74
1019.2
4.28
18
79
96
2.58
49
45
94
122.79
28
21.15%
0.06
268.61
396.5
21
95.24
76
79.09%
1.21
12
10
0.87
502.98
1895.6
0.04
286.01
113.1
0.60
123
123
368.46
307
83.33x
14
31.23
23
74.223.79
9
5
0.19
286.72
4724.4
78
227.34
1ss
88.82x
240.2
1.69
78
0.11
264.14
16
17
33
58.39
28
50.01X
0.34
303.23
8388.9
2.35
Alagoas
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
0.05
0.07
0.19
0.17
0.17
0.38
0.29
0.25
0.43
0.27
154.73
136.42
234.74
280.84
203.22
345.S4
271.54
279.12
385.98
276.67
4970.4
26e7.4
8239.4
2238.2
3152.6
7114.6
2342.3
1389
11304.4
41296.3
15.08
10.15
42.33
42.06
58.43
70.43
80.47
62.62
19.94
28.64
9
10
7
12
9
6
10
18
6
8
8
18
12
4
7
30
10
Minas Cerais
EspiritoSan
Rio de Janel
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
0.88
0.45
0.78
2.20
1.45
699.29
581.99
989.54
1069.45
913.82
15345.8
2429.4
13558.1
31851.5
82982.8
28.16
53.12
310.54
127.50
88.14
4
5
2
2
3
Parana
0.82
1.14
1.15
0.94
666.12
718.53
890.38
767.30
8732.3
4311.3
8888.5
21932.1
43.81
45.23
31.67
38.12
DistritoFed
CENTER WEST
0.16
0.18
0.19
0.14
0.17
588.91
289.73
359.57
838.52
472.81
1714.5
1829.3
4740.4
1743.3
9827.5
BRAZIL
0.88
843.87
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara"
R GrandeNor
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Santa Catarl
R Grande Sul
SOUTH
M GrossoSul
Mato Grosso
colas
Sourcoe:
144427.6
10
12
8
9
7
8
1S
34.02
38.84
53.28
67.38
47.81
48.76
41.05
74.51
62.35
51.99
28
13
43
26
26
35
20
47
47
38
82.8ox
38.72x
81.23X
38.73x
56.15S
71.40x
48.37%
63.41X
75.30X
88.741
3
9
3
1
2
7
14
5
3
5
89.72
58.97
98.20
135.43
113.33
89
49
es
le
96
98.95s
82.881
68.32x
85.41X
84.41X
3
4
3
3
4
5
3
4
7
9
6
7
66.63
90.41
103.05
86.08
47
84
92
73
71.12X
92.37x
89.701
84.52X
4.80
1.81
7.68
300.87
5.22
6
10
6
3
6
12
5
75
20
17
25
11
78
26
109.49
125.48
73.05
188.81
108.84
es
76
42
114
es
61.781
60.23a
57.04X
80.156
59.44U
16.97
6
6
11
88.02
69
78.401
1S
19
22
13
21
18
14
IGE - AnuarloEstatisticodo Brasil 1989
NINIFAZ/STN/SAFEM
MINIFAZ/SEF
GDP: eatimted based on data extractedfrom 'Stateand Local Finance- Public Policy in Brazil'(June89), by Remy Prud'homae
21
Table10
ONSTATES- 1988
GOVERNMENT
OF FEDERAL
BRAZIL:NETIMPACT
CURRENT
NCzSPERCAPITA
Fedoral
Unit
Federal
Federal Net Impact
Population
(thousands) Budgetary qovornent of Federal
RevonuosExpendituresGovornmnt
6.64
6.63
80.86
22.65
14.14
16.90
71.90
68.94
23.74
169.96
14.18
91.00
68.26
62.31
-7.10
147.48
0.04
75.11
29.77
12.71
8.49
9.63
8.76
6.67
23.07
8.47
12.34
19.28
13.33
14.56
16.97
17.78
23.12
18.81
38.16
17.64
27.28
12.46
19.20
11.06
11.60
8.16
14.37
12.28
10.08
9.07
14.94
-6.82
6.88
16,845.8
2,429.4
13,56.1
31,651.6
62,982.8
31.31
38.68
118.65
119.90
94.90
12.12
12.68
239.46
9.31
69.66
-19.19
-26.12
120.90
-110.59
-35.24
Parana
Santa Catarl
R Grande Sul
SOUTH
8,732.3
4,311.3
8,888.6
21,982.1
36.33
30.23
43.06
37.46
9.23
11.00
40.62
22.26
-26.09
-19.22
-2.54
-16.20
U Grosso Sul
Mato Grosso
Goias
1,714.6
1,629.3
4,740.4
10.88
11.68
10.69
13.75
19.02
12.72
2.87
7.34
2.08
CENTERWEST
8,084.2
10.93
14.21
3.28
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Par&
Amapa
1,019.2
39e.6
1,896.6
113.1
4,724.4
240.2
Maranhao
Plaul
R GrandeNor
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
S-rgipe
Behia
NORTHEAST
4,970.4
2,667.4
6,289.4
2,236.2
3,152.6
7,114.6
2,342.3
1,369.0
11,804.4
41,296.8
Mines Gerais
EspiritoSon
Rio do Janoi
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
NORTH
Ceara'
8,388.9
17.05
6.87
Sources:
- BalancosCerais de Uniso - 1988 (vol II p 34)
- AnuarioEstatisticodo Brasil 1989: Poputation(page75)
Notes:
- Center West regiondata excludethe FederalDistrict (OF).
transfers
- FederalExpenditurosincludeall the intergovornmental
recordedin the BalancosGerais da Uniao.
NET IMPACT=FEDERALEXPENDITURES- FEDERALREVENUES
22
alliances in any federation. The following sections prescnt a review of federal system in selected
countries to make an impressionisticevaluation of the Braziliansystem.
1.41
The Practice of Federalism inSelected Countries
USA. USA has a 3-tier systemwith states as the weakest linktraditionallyin the system. In
federal-localfiscalrelations states are often by-passed.The intrusiverole of the federal government has
largelybeen the result of urban and racialproblemsof the 1960sand dominanceof state legislaturesby
ruralinterests. Taxand expenditureassignmentin the U.S.is not consistentwith the economicprinciples
enunciated earlier. Other than taxes on international trade, exclusivelyreserved for the federal
govemment and property taxes for state and local levels, all other tax fields are open to all levels of
govemment. Federal, state and local govemments have overlapping and uncoordinated personal and
corporate income tax administration. Expenditure assignmentis also not clearlydelineated. Defense,
foreign affairsand space administration,foreign and interstate commerce,the postal service, coinage,
weightsand measures,patents and copy rights and crimesa-ainst the United States are reserved for the
federal govwunment. In housing, education, transportation, and social welfare, all three levels are
involvedto varyingdegrees. Federal governmentgets involvedimsuchlocal functionsas fire protection,
pothole repair, rat control, urban transit, local librariesand museums,and zoningregulationsas a result
of pork-barrelpolitics. Federal govemmentoften exercisesstrong control over local priorities through
carrot (specific purpose transfers--in early 1980s there were 492 federal programs) or stick (court
ordered racial integration of school pupils and teachers leading to a decay in schoolingin inner cities;
highwayspeed limits;withholdingof federal highwayfunds from states not raisingthe drinking age to
21). The hallmarkof the U.S. federal systemis diversity,a "fend for yourself federalism"and a "jungle
for tax administration". The efficiencycosts of such a systemare large which only an advanced nation
like the U.S. could afford. Major progress to reform this systemwas made during Carter and Reagan
years.
23
AUSTRALLA:Australiahas a two-tieredhighlycentralizedsystem. The centre emphasizes
uniformityof publicservicesacrossthe nation and uses conditionalgrants to achievethat purpose. Tax
administrationand collectionisprimarilycentral (80%of revenues). Localgovernmentsarehandmaiden
of states but are given reasonable autonomy in local service delivery. The Commonwealthhas sole
responsibilityin defense, trade, immigration,external affairs,socialsecurityand employment. States are
responsible for education, health and social services,transport, railways,electricity and water. The
federal governmentneverthelessexercisesstrong influencein -heseareas through conditionaltransfers.
In tax assignment,customs and excisesare reserved for the Centre and concurrent responsibilitiesare
assigned in all other areas. One half of customs proceeds are mandated for states. The Uniform
TaxationAct of 1942eliminated any role for states in income taxes and subsequent court rulingsclosed
sales and excisetaxation fieldsto states. State-Local governmentsare responsiblefor 50% of the total
outlay of the publicsector but raise only 17% of revenues.
CANADA: Canada has a two-tiered highlydecentralized system. In 1988, 59% of total
expenditureswere undertaken at the state-locallevel. Taxand expenditureassignmentare transparent.
Tax assignmentis overlappingbut harmonized. Expenditure assignmentis as follows:
Federal: money,banking, trade, airlines, railways,foreign affairs,defense, unemployment
insurance.
Federal-Provincial: Pensions, immigration,agriculture,industry.
Provincial: Education, health, socialwelfare, police, natural resources and highways.
WEST GERMANY: The Upper House of the Parliament is called the Council of States
(BUNDESRAT). State ministers or their deputies are represented on this council and vote at the
direction of their governments. This provides a check to any centralizingtendency in the federation.
The expenditure assignmentis as follows:
Federal: defense, foreign affairs,immigration,railways,air transport, post office.
24
Concurrent: publicwelfare,regulationofcommerce,industry,banking,insuranceand labour
relations, promotion of social responsibility, public roads and shipping. Note that all
concurrent responsibilitiesare carried out by states (Laender).
States: Education, culture and residual powers.
Tax Assignment: Federal government has exclusiveauthority over customs and federal
monopolies (alcohol etc.) and priorityover remainingtaxes. Taxes are primarilycollected
by the Centre and then shared with the states and local governments based on agreed
percentages.
MEXICO: Mexico is a highly centralized federation. 80% of public expenditures are
controlled by the central government. In addition to the usual functions of a central government
(defense,justice, external affairs,commerce and finance), the federal government in Mexicoassumes
responsibilitiesfor functionswhich are allocated to other levelsof government in other federations such
as health and education. States are responsible for public transport and infrastructure expenditures.
Stateshaveno ownsource revenues and solelydepend upon federal transfers (18.1%of federal revenues
are transferred and distributed 50% on a per capita basis and the remaining 50% based on historical
shares). The designof these transfers are creatingcertain anomaliesin taxadministration. For example,
in 1988, several states showed net negative VAT collections. Credit vouchers issued far exceeded
collections.
1.42
An Impressionistic Evaluation
Table 11 presents a bird's eye-viewof selectedfederal systemsreviewedearlier. The table
suggests that Brazil compares quite well to other federations on decentralization indicators. It
nevertheless can learn a great deal from other federations in designingtransfers. Of the countries
reviewed here, Canada and West Germany offer two alternative neat models of a federation. The
former emphasizesdiversityin publicserviceswith minimumstandards achievedby tax harmonization
and transfers. The latter emphasizesuniformityin publicservicesachievedthrough rationalexpenditure
TABLE II
FEDERALSY8TfHS- AN wIPR%SSIOUISTIC" VALUATION
Selected
Indicators
Tax SeDaration
Australia
Nexico
Canada
National
Unity
Strong
strong
Fairly
Weak
Strong
Fairly
State
Influence
on Federal
Falrly
strong
Tax Overla nDin
Unlited States
strong
Strong
Tat Sharing
West Germany
Brazil
Strong
Strong
veak
Strong
Strong
weak
Strong
Strong
Policy-makers
State Government Constitutional
Statue
Strong
Weak
Fairly strong
de jure; very
strong de facto
Fairly
Actual State Control of Local
Goverument
Strong
Strong
Strong
Varies from fairly
strong to fairly
weak
Strong
Weak
Range of Local Goverment
Responsibilities
L$sited
Limited
Fairly
extensive
Extensive
Limited
Extensive
Local Government Influence
State Policy-makers
on
Weak
Weak
Fairly
strong
Fairly
strong
Weak
Strong
Local Coveroment lnfluenc,
StatePolicy
on
Weak
Weak
Fairly
strong
Fairly
strong
Weak
Strong
Local Govermnent Inflence
Federal Policy
on
Weak
Weak
Weak
Fairly
strong
Weak
Very strong
TWo-tiered;
centralized
Three-tired;
centralized
Two-tiered;
decentralized
Three-tiered
unstructured
Two-tiered
integrated
Three-tiered
decentralized
Important;
emphasis on
conditional
grants
Important
Important;
emphasis on unconditional
grants
Important;
Emphasis on conditional grants
Unimportant
Emphasis on tax
sharing
Important
Federallunterstate
Equalization
Performance
Very strong;
revenue and
expenditure
disparities
reduced
substantially.
Weak
Strong;revenue
disparities
reducedsubstantiaily.
Very weak
Strong;revenue Weak
and some expenditure disparities
reducedsubstantially
StateTax Performance
Fairlyweak
Weak
Strong
Fairlystrong
Fairlystrong
Strong
Weak
Fairlystrong
Fairlystrong
Weak
Weak
The Character
of Fiscal
Federalism
Federal-State
Transfers
Intergovernmental
LocalGovernmentFiscalIndependence Fairlystrong
Selected
Tax SeDaration
Australia
Mexico
Indicators
Equalization
Formmla
Fed. -state
Explicit
implicit
piecemeal
Canada
a
Tax Overlanpint
United
Fed. -State
Equalization
Fiscal
States
Implicit
piecemeal
and
Tax Sharina
West Germanv
Brazil
Explicit
complex
Implicit
piecemeal
and
State
tax
base
conformity
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
State
tax
rate
uniformity
Yes
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yea
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yea
Yes
Yea
No
Single
collection
and adamin.
State-Local
revenues
match responsibility
more or less
Source:
tax
Some data for this table are extracted
from a Table prepared
"Rating Federal
Systems - An Impressionistic
Evaluation).
by John Shannon,
Washington,
D.C. ACIR, 1980 entitled
and
27
assignmentand tax sharing arrangements. Smaller developing countries like Sri Lanka could benefit
from the German modelwhereas largeand diversecountrieslike Brazil,India,Mexicoand Pakistanhave
much to learn from the Canadian model. Interestingly,U.S. reforms in recent years have also movedit
in the direction of a Canadian style two-tiered system.
1.5
Conclusions
Fiscal federalismissues have been more thoughtfully addressed in Brazil than any other
developing country. The New Constituf an makes a reasonablyclear assignmentof expenditure and
revenue assignment. This assignmentis also broadly consistent with economic principlesdiscussed in
this paper. Some problemsnevertheless remain. De facto expenditureresponsibilitiesare not consistent
with the constitutional intent. The taxsharing arrangementshave favouredthe municipalsector at the
expense of the federal government. The federal government is facing a major squeeze while
municipalitiesare reducingown taxefforts due to generous availabilityof funds through tax sharing. As
the fiscalpressures on the federal government mount, it is showingwillingnessto discussexpenditure
turnbacks on a program by program basis. It is expected that by 1993, much of the kind of federal
irvolvement that is criticized here would have vanished due to revenue constraints. The federal
government is well advisedto move in this direction sooner.
In the area of tax assignment,ICMS (VAT) administration has been handed over to the
States Council which contrary to principles enunciated here allows states some flexibilityover its
coverage in their jurisdictions. Interstate trade is causinga major havocwith the ICMS administration
with energy producing states facing a major crunch on their revenues (ICMS is on the final sales of
energyonly). Taxbases for IPI, ICMS and ISS somewhatoverlapbut are administeredby three different
levels of government. Further, rural property tax (1TR) which is more suitable for administration by
state governmentsis currently a federal responsibility.
The followingreform options are suggestedto deal with these issues:
1.
Immediate turnback of direct federal involvementin functionsof purely local nature
such as primaryand secondaryeducation, urban grading,bridges,zoningetc. Further,
28
administrationof health and educationshould be a state responsibility.Therefore, the
roles of federal ministriesof health and education be reduced to setting minimum
standards and providingper capita block gr. Asto induce compliance.
2.
The three sales taxes,IPI, ICMS and ISS be combinedinto one tax to be administered
by the federal government on behalf of state and local governments. Thus proceeds
from the taxbe shared bythe three levelsin proportion to their current intake from this
source.
3.
The administrationof rural property tax be turned over to the state leveL
4.
The revenue sharing and transfer programsbe restructured as discussedin the section
on intergovernmentaltransfers.
29
NOTES
1. The implementation of above principles require operation of voting with feet mechanism.This
brings us to the Tiebout literature which suggests that voting with feet will lead to jurisdiction
formationscreating a market analogue to publicserviceprovision.Oates had earlier suggestedthat
allocativeefficiencyquestions associatedwith votingwith one's feet could be settled by examining
tax and benefit capitalization. The existence of capitalization implies allocative efficiency.This
conclusionhas been rejected by Jan Brueckner (1979, 1982)and Ar.war Shah (1983, 1988, 1989,
1990).Brueckner's test is based on the theoretical result that a non-positiverelationship between
publicservicesand residentialpropertyvalues is a definiteindicationof over-provisionof localpublic
goods beyond optimal levels in the case of typicalmixed communities,i.e. , communitieshaving
substantial businessproperty. An alternativetest proposed by Shah uses the criterion that, when the
level of local spending is optimal, a balanced budget change in local spending and residential
property taxation should leave residential property values unaltered. Thus a positive impact of a
balanced budget change would indicate under-provisionand a negative impact over-provisionof
publicservices.
2. For specific examples of these see Diogo Lordelle de Mello (1988), "Resources Mobilization
Strategies for Urban Development in Brazil",processed.
30
2.0
TRANSFERSIN BRAZIL
INTERGOVERNMENTAL
The existingstructure of federal-state-localtransfers in Brazilcan be broadlyclassifiedinto
two categories,namely:(1) tax transfers or revenue sharing arrangementsmandated by the Brazilian
Constitution and (2) Specific purpose transfers includingnegotiated transfers (convenios). In 1989,
other than meetingits obligationsforestablishedprogramssuch asthe Unifiedand Decentralized Health
Care System (SUDS), the federal government did not disburse any additional funds through the
convenios. In a typicalyear, though conveniosaccounted for nearly 10% of federal transfers to states.
The followingparagraphs present a brief description of revenue sharing arrangements and other
transfers.
2.1
RevenueSharingArrangementsin Brazil
Revenue sharing arrangementshave been specifiedin the new BrazilianConstitution. The
Constitution provides strictcriteria for the allocationof revenuesto different levelsof government and
some guidelines on distribution of these through specialfunds among units at the same level. Specific
distribution criteria are specified by parliamentary regulations. There is no stipulation as to the final
dispositionof these funds by the receivinggovernment. The Constitution, nevertheless, provides that
the Union must applya minimumof 18%, statesand municipalitieseach at least 25% of all tax revenues
(including intergovernmental transfers) on education. Sharing of federal revenues from income and
industrial product taxes are through participation funds established for this purpose. In 1988, the
Federal Government transferred aboutNCz$ 1.5billionto states and municipalitiesthrough the revenue
sharing mechanisms(see Table 12). Of this total amount, 52% went to relativelylessprosperous states
in the north and the northeast regions of the nation. A description of major programs for revenue
sharing is givenin the followingsections.
Table 12
BRAZIL: FEDERAL
TAX TRANSFERS
TO STATESANDMUNICIPALITIES - 1988
(Current NCzS thousands)
Federal
Unit
STATEGOVERNMENT
--------------------------Total Per capita X of total
MUNICIPALGOVERNMENT
-----Total
P-r capita
X of total
TOTAL
Total
Per capita
X of total
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Para
Aapa
NORTH
18,222
19,390
22,638
13,862
42,730
18,654
135,496
17.88
48.90
11.94
122.56
9.04
77.66
16.15
2.43X
2.68X
3.02X
1.85X
5.70!
2.49!
18.06x
6,431
3,928
10,836
2,394
23,930
2,909
50,428
6.31
9.91
5.72
21.16
5.07
12.11
6.01
0.90X
O.55X
1.52X
0.34X
3.35X
0.41X
7.07X
24,662
23,318
33,474
16,266
68,660
21,663
186,924
24.19
58.81
17.86
143.73
14.11
89.77
22.16
1.88x
1.59x
2.29x
1.11X
4.55X
1.47X
12.70X
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara'
R Grand.Nor
Parslbe
Pernambuco
Alagoas
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
44,111
26,338
45,134
25,881
28,368
42,048
24,232
24,188
69,702
329,993
8.87
10.26
7.23
11.57
9.00
5.91
10.36
17.67
6.17
7.99
5.88x
3.61X
6.02!
3.45X
3.78!
5.6ox
3.23X
3.22X
9.29x
43.98x
27,961
17,162
33,858
18,651
22,983
36,805
16,090
10,996
65,302
248,698
5.63
6.68
5.43
8.30
7.29
5.03
6.87
8.03
5.78
6.02
3.92X
2.40X
4.765
2.60!
3.22X
5.02%
2.26X
1.54X
9.15X
34.86X
72,072
43,490
78,993
44,432
61,341
77,853
40,322
35,184
135,004
578,691
14.60
18.94
12.86
19.87
16.29
10.94
17.21
26.70
11.94
14.01
4.92x
2.971
S.40X
3.04X
3.51X
S.321
2.75X
2.40!
9.22x
39.63x
1
Mines Gerais
EspiritoSan
Rio de Janei
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
85,702
11,553
31,070
53,892
162,217
4.28
4.76
2.29
1.70
2.68
8.76x
1.54X
4.14X
7.1ex
21.62X
98,047
12,843
24,619
102,181
237,690
6.39
5.29
1.82
3.23
3.77
13.74X
1.80x
3.45X
14.32X
33.31X
163,749
24,396
65,690
158,072
399,907
10.67
10.04
4.11
4.93
6.36
11.19x
1.67X
3.8OX
10.66x
27.32X
Parana
Santa Catari
R GrandeSul
SOUTH
28,686
15,301
25,795
69,782
3.28
3.55
2.90
3.18
3.82x
2.04X
3.44X
9.30x
48,783
28,009
44,524
121,316
5.59
6.50
5.01
5.53
6.84x
3.93x
6.24X
17.00X
77,488
43,309
70,319
191,097
8.87
10.05
7.91
8.71
5.29X
2.96X
4.80%
13.06x
M Crosso Sul
Mato Grosso
Coias
(a)
CENTER WEST
9,784
15,711
27,306
5.71
9.64
6.78
1.30X
2.09x
3.64X
10,492
12,335
32,507
6.12
7.57
8.86
1.47X
1.73X
4.61X
20,276
28,046
59,813
11.83
17.21
12.62
1.39%
1.92X
4.09x
52,800
6.53
7.04X
55,334
6.84
7.7ex
108,134
13.38
7.39x
BRAZIL (*)
750,288
5.26
1OO.OOX
713,465
5.00
1.OOOOX 1,463,753
10.26
1OO.OOX
Dist Federal
Brazil + DF
4,956
755,244
2.84
6.23
2,287
716,762
1.31
4.96
7,243
1,470,996
4.15
10.19
Sources:
Unpublisheddata
Ministerioda Fazenda- SecretarisCeral - Secretarisde Economis* Financas(MINIFAZ/SEF):
Note:
a Data excludethe FederalDistrict(DF)
32
2.11
State ParticipationFund (FPE: Fundode Participacaodos Estados)
The federal government deposits21.5%each of incometax (IR) and industrial products tax
(IPI) in a special fund for later distribution by the States' Council to individualstates . In determining
state shares from this fund, the fund first sets aside 85% of total funds for distribution to states in the
north, north-east and centre-west regions of the countryand the remaining 15% for the south and the
southeast region. The Act 104-A, 1989 argues that this initial allocation is necessaryto safeguard
regional equity objectivesas tax assignmentcarried out by the Constitution appears to favour the rich
states more than the poorer ones. The Act has further establisheddeadlines for the federal government
for the release of funds for distribution to states. The intent of these deadlines is to limit federal
government incentivesto benefit from inflationarygains by withholdingstate funds a bit longer than
absolutely necessary. The formula for the distribution of funds among states takes into account
population (a proxy for fiscalneed) and inverse of per capita income (fiscalcapacity indicator). The
criteria specified for this purposes is expressed mathematicallyin Box 1. A proposal to extend this
formulato incorporateland area (fiscalneed measure),interstate trade orientation (spilloverfactor)and
ratio of ownrevenues to expenditures (fiscaleffort indicator)is currentlyunder discussionin the Senate
(see also Lei #165/89, Senado Federal).
This formulayields the participationcoefficientsfor individualstates as given in Table 13.
These coefficientshoweverwere found unacceptable by the Councilof Finance Ministersof the States
and instead they developed modifiedcoefficientsas givenin column 3 based upon mutual negotiations.
These coefficientsare applicabletill 1991. Participation coefficientsfor 1992and later yearswillbe reestablishedbased upon a reviewof the workingof the formula and new data from the 1990census.
A similar fund established for distribution of federal transfers to municipalitiesis named
Municipal Participation Fund (FPM:Fundo de Participacao dos Municipios). This fund is discussed
below:
33
BOX 1
DISTRIBUTIONCRITERIA FOR THE STATES PARTICIPATIONFUND (FPE)
(FPE), -
0.85 * G * SN + 0.15 * G * Ss
Where
G - 0.215 * (IR + IPI)
I
(POPP)i
*
(YPCF)1
1
N,SN [ (POPF)i * (YPCF)i]
s-i
Participationcoefficientfor a state in the northeast,north
and SN -
and center-westregions.
S
=
Participationcoefficientfor a state in the south and southeast
regions.
IR IPI POPF -
federal tax collectionfrom income taxes
federal tax collectionsfrom industrialproducts tax.
Population factor. The following table is used for this
purpose.
Z of nationalpopulation
representedby each state
upto 2%
2-4x:
for the first 2%
for each additional0.3%
5-10%:
for the first 5%
for each additional0.5%
above 102
POPF
2.0
2.0
0.3
5.0
0.5
10.0
34
Box 1 (continued)
DISTRIBUTIONCRITERIAFOR FPE (Continued)
YPCF - state income (per capita)
YPCF is determinedaccordingto the following table:
Average Per Capita income of all states/
Per capita income of state i
YPCF
-----------------------------------------------------
Up to .00045
Between .0055 and .0065
.0065 - .0075
.0075 - .0085
.0085 - .0095
.0095 - .0110
.0110- .0130
.0130- .0150
.0150- .0170
.0170- .0190
.0190- .0220
Above .0220
.4
.6
.7
.8
.9
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.5
35
Table 13
FRE: PARTICIPATION COEFFICIENTS FOR BRAZILLANSTATES
FOR 1990-1991
Federal Unit
Formula Share
NORTH
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Para
Amapa
2.1164
2.6270
2.1850
1.9090
4.7225
2.6200
2.8150
3.4210
2.7904
2.4807
6.1120
3.4120
NORTHEAST
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara'
R Grande Norte
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
Sergipe
Bahia
5.7415
3.3205
7.0585
3.2045
3.6700
5.3960
3,1900
3.1860
9.4635
7.2181
4.3214
7.3369
4.1779
4.7889
4.3214
4.1601
4.1553
9.3962
SOUTHEAST
Minas Gerais
Espirito Santo
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
7.9545
1.5470
4.2435
3.9460
4.4545
1.5000
1.5277
1.0000
Parana
Santa Catarina
R Grande Sul
4.2400
1.8800
3.4615
2.8832
1.2798
2.3548
CENTER WEST
M Grosso Sul
Mato Grosss
Goias
Distrito Federal
1.4735
2.5530
3.1450
0.7535
1.3320
2.3079
2.8431
0.6902
SOUTH
Source: Camara dos Deputados
Projeto de Lei CornplementarNo. 104-A,de 1989.
Ministerio da Fazenda - Secretaria Geral
Secretaria de Economiae Financas(MINIFAZ/SEF)
Boletim Informativo No. 166,December 1988
Agreed Share
36
2.12
MunicipalParticipationFund(FPM)
FPM wasestablished as 13.5%of federal income and industrial product taxes in 1984 and
raised to 20% in October 1988. This share of the specifiedtaxeswillrise by 0.5 percentage point each
yearuntil the newsystemis fullyphased in 1993with 22.5%of these taxesearmarked for the fund. 12%
of the FPM fundsare allocated to state capitalsand municipalitieswith population greater than 400,000.
Of the remaining 88%, 6% is set aside for the Municipal Participation Reserve Fund (RFPM: the
Reservado Fundo de Participacao de Municipios).The RFPM isavailableonly to larger municipalities
other than state capitalswith 1990population at least 4% of national population. The distribution of
funds to all municipalitiesare by a formula which takes into consideration population and per capita
income of each municipality. Funds vary directlyby population and inverselyby per capita income.
Formulae details are given in Box 2. Table 14 provides details on the level of funding and the
participationcoefficientsby population size of the municipalunit.
In addition to revenues through the FPM, municipalitiesalso receive 50% of revenues from the rural
property tax in proportion to the value of real estate properties located in their jurisdictions;100% of
payroll deductions of income taxes of municipal employees;70% of tax on gold by origin; 2.3% of
revenuesfrom crudeoil based on the value of production; and 50% of hydroelectricityand mineraltaxes
by the sales value of the mineralsby origin.
2.2
SpecificPurposeTransfers
Non-Constitutional Transfers: Overall there were 117 umbrella federal-state-municipal
transfer programs in 1989of which 19 were open to municipalparticipation. These prog- ns can be
broadlyclassifiedinto four categories:
(1) The first typeof transfers havebeen instituted to simplycomplywith specificlawsother
than the Constitutionalprovisions. Major transfers of this type include transfers to the
Federal Capital (38% of total in 1987); transfers related to the creation of new states
(21% of total in 1987)and financialcompensation(royalties) paid to states for the
37
BOX 2
FORMULAE FOR THE DISTRIBUTIONOF MUNICIPAL PARTICIPATIONFUND (FPM)
State Capitals and Municipalitieswith 1990 PoRulationgreater than 400.000
SCPl4)i
0.12 * G
(FPM)8i
0.12 * GFp
*
xc (YPCF)1
(POPCL)
FPM
E [(POPCL)i
x (YPCF)i]
Other Municipalities
(POPSM)
(FPM)'
(FM
GFP
FP
*
0.82 x
____
ZRPOPSM)i
+ 0.06 * D
*
(POPML)ix (YPCF)
i
E (POPML)ix (YPCF)i
When G
Di
-
0.225 (IPI + IR)
-
1 If municipalityhas a populationgreater than 156,216
or (POP) /E(POP)> 0.04 (includesnon-capital
municipalitieswith populationgreater than 400,000).
0
otherwise
Superscriptsc refers to state capital
Superscriptom refers to all other municipalities.
POPCL - population
factor for state capitals and larger
municipalitiesdeterminedaccordingto the followingtable:
Z of total national populationin this
category living in municipality
POPCL
Up to 1%
Between 1 a-id5%
1.0
- for the first 1Z
1.0
- for each additional .5% or fraction,add
.5
Above 52
5.0
YPCF - state
income per capita
factor
defined
in the FPE section.
38
BOX 2 (Continued)
FORMULAE FOR THE DISTRIBUTIONOF F.P.M (Continued)
POPSM - population factor for small and medium municipalitieswith
population less than 400,000 determined according to the
followingtable:
Populationof the Municipality
POPSM
Up to 16,188
- for the first 10,188
- for each additional 3,396 or fraction
.6
+ .2
Between 16,800 and 50,940
-
for the first 16,980
for each additional 6,792 or fraction
1.0
+ .2
Between 50,940 and 101,880
-
for the first 50,940
for each additional 10,188 or fraction
Between 1010,940and 156,216
-
for the first 101,880
for each additional 13,584 or fraction
Above 156,216
-
2.0
+ .2
3.0
+ .2
4.0
POPML = population factor for eligible (medium and large
municipalities) determined according to the following
table:
Z of total populationof eligible
municipalitiesliving in municipality
POPML
Up to 2%
Between 2 and 5%
2.0
- for the first 2%
2.0
- for each additional .5% or fraction,add
Above 5Z
.5
5.0
Xt__=_S
8________s
__--------------
39
Table 14
BRAZIL: MUNICIPAL PARTICIPATION7UND COEFFICIENTS
(1989)
Population
(Inhabitants)
Coefficient
Amount of municipal
participationin USS 000's
Up to 10,188
10,189 to 13,584
13,585 to 16,980
16,981 to 23,772
23,773 to 30,564
30,565 to 37,356
37,357 to 44,148
44,149 to 50,940
50,941 to 61,128
61,129 to 71,316
71,317 to 81,504
81,505 to 91,692
91,693 to 101,880
101,881 to 115,464
115,465 to 129,048
129,049 to 142,632
142,663 to 156,216
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.6
2.8
3.0
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
698
930
1,163
1,396
1,628
1,861
2,094
2,326
2,559
2,792
3,024
3,257
3,490
3,723
3,955
4,188
4,421
above 156,216
4.0
4,654
Source: Instituto Brasileiro AdministracaoMunicipal, Noticiero, No. 96,
September/89.
40
extraction of oil within their jurisdiction. Typicallysuch transfers constitute 60% of
annual total non-constitutionaltransfers.
(2) The second type of transfers are commonly referred to as convenios or negotiated
transfers. These are not regulated by law and are based on negotiations between the
federal and other levelsunitsindividually.Support forregionaldevelopment,agriculture,
education, health and housingare the priority areas for receipt of funds from convenios.
They constituted 40% of the non-constitutionaltransfers in 1987.
(3) The third type of transfers are specialinvestmentfunds/projects.These projects maybe
undertaken by state and local governments on behalf of the federal government.
Financingcomesfromthe General Revenue Fund aswellas the SocialInvestmentsFund
(FINSOCIAL:Fundode InvestimentoSocial)and the programsfor NationalIntegration
(PIN) and Redistribution of Land to Stimulate the Agrarian Economies of North and
Northeast (PROTERRA). The transfers associatedwith these fundsare not recorded
in the BalancosGerais da Uniao (BGU) as intergovernmentaltransfers. Nearly70% of
these funds are recorded under the umbrellaof planning. There is flexibilityin the use
of these funds. The only requirement is that they be used for the development of basic
social servicesand infrastructure.
(4) The fourth type of transfers are the transfersmade through government agencies. These
transfers also do not showup in the BGU. To account for these,it is necessaryto enquire
from manydifferent agenciesfor what theyrecord asnon-taxtransfersespeciallytransfers
made in the form of convenios.The collectionof data on these transfers is a difficulttask
since the governmentagenciesdo not aggregatedata so as to determine whichpart of the
transfers went to state and localgovemments. The National Secretaryof Treasury(STN:
Secretaria do Tesouro Nacional) reported that in 1986 8.5% of tax revenues went to
intergovernmental transfers not related to the sharing of tax revenues. Most of these
transfers comefromthe ministriesof Planning,Education,Finance, Urban Development
and Health. The northeast regiontraditionallyreceivesnearlyone third of total transfers
made through gcvernment agencies.
41
A description of negotiated transfers briefly describedearlier follows:
2.21
NegotiatedTransfers(Convenios)
A convenio represents federal transfer of funds to state and local governments for
undertaking expenditures on behalf of the federal government in areas of federal government
responsibility. These transfers are determined by supplemental lawsor directly negotiated between
different levelsof government. These transfers constituted 22% of total federal-state-local transfers
and 8% of federal revenues in 1987. Nearly90% of these transfers (excludingthose for enterprises) go
to states and the remaining10%to municipalities(see Table 15). Transfers to municipalitiesare usually
for urban development and housing prograr is. Occasionallythough large sums of moneywere made
available to municipalitiesin seekingtheir politicalsupport e.g. CZ$ 6 billion for support for writinga
new constitution in 1987(see Afonso, 1989).
In 1988, there were over 3000 convenioswith multitude of objectives. Tables 15 and 16
provide 1988distributionof these transfers bydestination (level of government) and by source (federal
ministry). An accountingof these by programsand by objectivesis not possible as it is an activitywhich
the federal governmenttraditionallydoes not monitor. A specialsurveydone bythe Ministryof Finance
in 1988has analyzedthe data on conveniosby functionalclassificationand by state for 1985-1986.(see
Tables 18 and 19 and appendix Tables A.1-A3). This survey established that nearly two-thirds of
conditionaltransfers in 1985-86were meant for planning and education. The northeast region received
a lion's share of transfers for education (46.4%of total) and the centre-west region received62.6% of
total transfers for planning. This surveyfurther confirmedthat most transfers on account of convenios
were based on ad hoc decisionsand devoidof any formalcriteria and therefore could not be subjected
to any formal analysis.
The 1988federal allocationof negotiated transfers asreported in Table 15has an interesting
pattemofdistnrbutionamongstates. For example,the State ofMaranhao, then-President Sarney'shome
state had a very peculiarparticipationin the overall distributionof negotiated transfers in 1988.Its state
government alone receivedhigher fundingthrough negotiated transfers than all the state governments
Table 15
- 1988
TRANSFERS
BRAZIL: FEDERALNEGOTIATED
Convonlos,Agreements,Adjustments,Protocols,etc.
(CurrentNCz3 thousands)
STATEGOVERNMENT
--------------------------X of total
Total
Per capita
Federal
Unit
MUNICIPALGOVERNMENT
--------------------------% of total
Total Per capita
ENTERPRISES
--------------------------X of total
Per capita
Total
TOTAL
--------------------------Per capita
Total
X of total
1.13X
0.07X
4.92%
a6s
153
919
467
1,798
3,906
7,697
0.36
0.39
0.48
4.13
0.38
16.26
0.91
0.67%
0.29X
1.72X
0.88%
3.37X
7.33X
14.26X
963
873
6,008
1,569
6,079
3,144
17,602
0.94
2.20
3.17
14.10
1.08
13.09
2.11
0.45%
0.41%
2.81%
0.7sx
2.37X
1.47%
8.26X
8,471
3,793
12,931
2,281
11,776
7,361
46,812
8.31
9.57
6.82
20.17
2.49
30.65
5.58
1.21%
0.54%
1.84%
0.33X
1.68x
1.05X
6.66X
4.56
3.71
2.46
3.91
2.31
1.30
1.29
5.30
0.96
2.28
5.22%
2.19X
3.63X
2.01X
1.68x
2.13%
0.69%
1.87%
2.60X
21.64X
4,605
3,233
1,834
3,013
2,046
2,173
2,835
2,394
6,503
28,636
0.93
.28
0.29
1.35
0.66
0.31
1.21
1.75
0.58
0.69
8.64%
6.07X
3.44X
5.86x
3.84x
4.09%
5.32X
4.49%
12.21%
53.76%
18,641
3,496
10,836
6,032
4,387
6,810
1,990
2,690
9,009
62,791
3.75
1.36
1.74
2.26
1.39
0.96
0.85
1.89
0.80
1.62
8.72%
1.83%
6.07X
2.36%
2.05%
3.18%
0.93%
1.21%
4.21%
29.36%
45,933
16,247
28,017
16,779
13,724
18,236
7,841
12,238
26,386
186,398
9.24
6.33
4.49
7.50
4.36
2.66
3.35
8.94
2.33
4.49
6.65x
2.32%
3.99%
2.39%
1.96x
2.60%
1.12X
1.74%
3.76X
26.43X
11,173
1,506
4,963
243,268
260,899
0.73
0.62
0.37
7.69
4.14
2.67%
0.35%
1.14%
66.02%
60.09%
2,769
633
1,114
2,634
7,140
0.18
0.26
0.08
0.08
0.11
6.18%
1.19X
2.09%
4.94%
13.40X
19,199
1,162
88,209
10,980
99,660
1.26
0.48
6.03
0.36
1.68
8.98%
0.54%
31.89%
5.13X
4e.66%
33,131
3,300
74,286
268,872
367,689
2.16
1.36
5.48
8.12
6.84
4.72%
0.47%
10.69%
36.63%
S2.41%
Parana
Santa Catari
R Grande Sul
SOUTH
7,346
5,927
13,368
26,631
0.84
1.37
1.60
1.21
1.89%
1.37X
3.08%
6.13X
1,808
2,201
2,271
6,280
0.21
0.51
0.26
0.29
3.39%
4.13%
4.26X
11.79X
8,834
6,984
9,098
21,916
0.78
1.39
1.02
1.00
3.20%
2.80%
4.25%
10.26%
15,988
14,112
24,727
64,827
1.83
3.27
2.78
2.60
2.28X
2.01X
3.63x
7.82%
M Grosso Sul
Mato Grosso
Goias
7,593
7,661
16,202
4.43
4.63
3.42
1.75%
1.74%
3.73X
917
834
1,875
0.53
0.61
0.40
1.72X
1.67%
3.52%
3,064
1,980
6,924
1.78
1.22
1.46
1.43X
0.93%
3.24%
11,6e4
10,385
26,001
6.74
6.36
5.27
1.65%
1.48%
3.66%
CENTER WEST
31,346
3.88
7.22X
3,626
0.46
6.81%
11,968
1.48
5.59x
46,930
5.81
6.69x
434,201
3.04
100.00%
63,278
0.37
100.OOX
213,877
1.60
100.00%
701,366
4.92
100.OON
1.86%
0.64%
1.38X
Rondonla
Acre
Amazons
Roraiua
Para
Amapa
NORTH
7,253
2,787
6,004
219
4,898
312
21,353
7.02
6.98
8.17
1.94
1.04
1.30
2.66
0.06X
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara'
R Grand. Nor
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
22,687
9,518
15,347
8,734
7,292
9,252
3,016
7,262
10,874
93,972
Minas Gerais
Espirito San
Rio de Janei
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
BRAZIL
Sources:
Ministerloda Fazenda - Secretaria
do Tesouro Nacional - Secretariade Contabilidade
(MINIFAZ/STN/SECON): Unpublished data
Table16
- 1988
NEGOTIATED
TRANSFERS
BRAZIL: FEDERAL
Protocols,
etc.
Agreemnts,Adjustments,
Convenios,
(CurrentNCzS thousands)
INDUSTRYA COMMERCE
MINING A ENERGY
IRRIGATION
EDUCATION
MUNICIPAL
GOVERNMENTS
STATEGOVERNMENTS
MINISTRY-FUNCTION
X of total
Total
Per capita
287
0.00
0.06%
19,719
31,166
0.14
0.22
3.81%
6.02%
Per capita
46
738
536
21,249
0.00
0.0.
0.00
0.16
Total
Per capita
0.08%
1.31%
0.95%
37.e4%
297
1,005
6,017
21,211
0.00
0.01
0.04
0.15
0.12%
0.40%
1.99%
8.42%
42,198
455
112,463
67,883
81
0.30
0.00
0.79
0.48
0.00
18.76%
0.18%
44.64%
28.94%
0.03%
0.46%
X of total
162
0.00
1
0.00
AGRICULTURE
PLANNINGA ADMINISTRATION
TRANSPORTATION
INTERIOR
LABOR
SCIENCE A TECHNOLOGY
OTHER
16,416
68,548
860
88,187
68,636
239,585
6,490
0.12
0.48
0.01
0.46
0.48
1.68
0.06
3.17%
13.24%
0.17%
12.78%
13.26%
46.26%
1.25%
1,049
338
1,691
30,761
8
0.01
0.00
0.01
0.22
0.00
1.86%
0.59%
3.00%
64.48%
0.01%
44
0.00
0.08%
1,170
0.01
TOTAL
517,893
3.63
100.00%
56,447
0.40
100.00%
251,942
1.77
COMMUNICATIONS
MINISTRY-FUNCTION
TRANSFES
NEGOTIATED
TOTALOF ALL FEDERAL
Total
INDUSTRYA COMMERCE
MINING A ENERGY
IRRIGATION
EDUCATION
COMMUNICATIONS
AGRICULTURE
PLANNING A ADMINISTRATION
TRANSPORTATION
INTERIOR
LABOR
SCIENCE A TECHNOLOGY
OTHER
TOTAL
0.00%
Total
ENTERPRISES
Per capita
X of total
629
1,743
25,272
73,625
0.00
0.01
0.18
0.62
0.08%
0.21%
3.08%
8.91%
163
0.00
0.02%
59,683
69,339
184,821
68,724
239,586
7,704
0.42
0.49
0.81
1.16
0.48
1.68
0.05
7.22%
8.39%
13.92%
19.95%
8.32%
29.00%
0.93%
826,282
5.79
100.00%
115,014
Sources:
Unpublished
da
Ministerio
da Fazenda- Secretaria
do TesouroNacional- Secretaria
de Contabilidade
(MINIFAZ/STN/SECON):
IBGE)
Poputationin 1988:
142,684.3(thousands;
Notes:
SEPLAN/PR,
PRESIDENCIA
DA REPUBLICA
Planningand Administration
includes:
MINIFAZ,SADEN/PR,
Otherfunctionsare: JUSTICE,NAVY,AERONAUTICS,
FOREIGNAFFAIRS
X of total
0.06%
100.00%
Table 17
BY FUNCTION
TRANSFERS
BRAZIL: FEDERAL
(1968 NCzS Per Capita)
states
OperatingCapitalSp.
Agriculture
0.02
0.22
RegionalDevelopment
4.14
0.43
2.60
0.06
Educationand Culture
0.00
0.76
Energy
0.17
HousingA Urban Development 0.02
IndustryA Co e rce
0.00
0.00
Health and Sanitation
0.a6
0.19
Transportation
0.78
0.01
0.21
0.00
Social Security
Other Functions
0.49
0.06
Total
9.66
1.13
Municipalities
Inves
0.09
0.09
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.16
0.36
Total
0.32
4.65
2.65
0.75
0.19
0.00
0.87
0.79
0.00
0.93
11.15
States A Municipalities
----------------------------------
Operating Capital Sp.
0.02
0.22
Agriculture
8.84
0.44
RegionalDevelopmnt
Educationand Culture
4.17
0.06
0.92
0.00
Energy
0.29
HousingA Urban Development 0.02
Industry A Commerce
0.00
0.00
0.65
0.20
Health and Sanitation
0.01
1.16
Transportation
0.00
0.21
Social Security
Other Functions
0.49
0.06
Total
15.97
1.27
Inves
0.10
0.11
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.17
0.40
Total
0.88
8.88
4.22
0.92
0.31
0.00
0.88
1.16
0.00
0.94
17.64
Sources:BalancosGerais de Uniso - 1988
AnuarioEstati;ticodo Brasil- 1989 (Population)
OperatingCapitalSp.
0.00
0.00
4.20
0.01
1.57
0.00
0.00
0.17
0.00
0.12
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.87
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
8631
0.14
Inves
0.01
0.02
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.04
Total
0.01
4.23
1.67
0.17
0.12
0.00
0.01
0.37
0.00
0.01
6.49
45
Table
18
EVOLUTION OF FEDERAL CONDITIONAL TRANSFERS
TO STATES AND MUNICIPALITIES
(1983-87)
(percent)
Agriculture
983
984
985
986
987
100
92
34
178
189
Regional
Development
Education
& Culture
Energy
100
58
40
79
8
100
103
177
199
228
100
136
127
125
61
Houslag &
Urban
Development
100
62
45
1,418
609
Health E
Sanitation
100
97
137
169
204
Transportation
0
0
0
-
Other
Functions
100
105
154
182
291
Source: Sec. Progr. Financeira/STN e "Balancos Gerais da Uniao", HINIFAZ
Deflator: IGP-DI media (FGV)
Other Transfers - Intergov.rmental
Transfers minus Federal Tax Transfers
other Functions - Legislative, Judiciary, Planning and Administration, Defense, Coumerce and Industry.
Total
100
88
107
166
161
46
Table 19
DISTRIBUTIONOF TRANSFERSTHROUGH
"CONVENIOS"
TO STATESAND KUNICIPALITIES
1985-86
(percent)
ReRions/
States
Planninx
Education
Health
Cash In-kindTotal Cash In-kindTotal
Acre
2.6
Amazonas
3.0
2.8
Para
Rondonia
3.9
Amapa
0.6
0.5
Roraima
Maranhao
7.7
Piaui
4.3
2.5
Ceara
R.Gde.Norte
1.9
Paraiba
2.7
Pernambuco
1.8
Alagoas
1.9
Sergipe
2.0
Bahia
3.2
Mato Grosso
4.6
M. Grosso Sul
2.4
Goias
2.1
DistritoPedl. 43.5
Minas Gerais
0.5
EspiritoSanto 3.0
Rio Janeiro
0.2
Sao Paulo
0.7
Parana
0.2
Sta. Catarina
0.9
Rio Gde. Sul
0.2
NORTH
NORTHEAST
CENTRE-WEST
SOUTHEAST
SOUTH
13.5
28.2
62.6
4.4
1.3
100.0
Others
Total
0.7
1.8
4.1
1.3
0.4
0.3
7.0
4.8
6.6
3.4
4.2
7.6
2.6
2.0
8.1
2.1
2.0
4.4
2.2
9.5
1.9
3.9
3.7
5.5
4.3
5.5
0.7
1.8
4.4
1.0
0.4
0.4
7.1
3.6
8.2
2.8
3.9
7.2
2.9
2.1
9.4
1.8
2.7
3.5
1.4
12.9
2.5
1.0
1.8
7.5
3.6
5.1
0.7
1.8
4.2
1.2
0.4
0.3
7.1
4.4
7.0
3.2
4.1
7.4
2.8
2.1
8.5
2.0
2.3
4.1
1.9
10.8
2.2
2.9
3.1
6.4
4.0
5.3
1.6
2.5
3.0
1.4
0.0
0.5
3.7
6.0
5.1
7.6
4.1
9.0
4.8
3.8
8.8
2.8
2.4
3.5
1.0
8.2
2.3
2.6
7.1
2.8
2.1
3.3
0.4
2.2
4.5
1.0
0.2
0.1
4.5
3.1
7.4
3.8
3.5
9.1
3.6
2.0
10.6
1.1
2.0
4.2
7.5
5.3
1.7
7.2
4.7
4.3
2.4
3.3
0.9
2.4
3.9
1.2
0.2
0.3
4.1
4.6
6.2
5.8
3.9
8.8
4.3
2.9
9.3
1.9
2.2
3.9
4.9
6.9
2.0
4.4
5.9
3.6
2.2
3.3
0.2
1.5
1.7
1.2
0.2
0.1
2.7
2.6
2.3
2.4
4.1
11.5
2.1
2.0
5.9
2.8
2.4
3.9
2.8
7.0
4.3
8.2
12.4
5.4
4.9
5.6
7.8
0.0
0.0
79.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.02
0.0
1.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
11.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.0
0.2
4.3
5.4
0.1
1.7
6.8
2.5
4.1
1.9
1.9
3.7
1.2
1.1
7.0
2.5
3.1
5.4
0.6
12.6
1.9
3.5
6.2
11.0
3.7
6.5
2.1
2.0
3.0
10.3
0.4
0.4
5.9
23.7
4.1
2.4
3.0
5.4
2.1
1.6
5.5
2.9
2.2
3.0
16.5
5.5
2.3
3.5
3.1
3.5
2.4
2.9
8.6
46.3
10.7
19.0
15.4
8.8
47.3
9.5
18.2
16.2
8.7 9.0
46.4 52.8
10.3 9.8
18.9 20.2
15.7
8.2
8.5
47.7
14.8
18.9
10.0
8.9
49.8
13.0
19.2
9.2
4.9
35.5
11.8
31.9
15.9
87.3
0.0
1.5
11.2
0.6
12.7
30.2
11.6
24.4
21.2
18.3
33.9
24.6
14.4
8.8
__-------__--------------------
---------------------------------------------------.----------------
BRAZIL
Urban
Finance
Development
100.0
100.0
100.0 100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Source:Silvia Paiva, STN/MINIFAZ,Resultsfrom a specialsurvey of governmentagencies.
100.0
47
in the northern region as a whole. Further, it claimed a lion's share (one-fourth) of all the negotiated
transfers made to the northeastern state governments in 1988 (see Table 15). Of the regions, the
southeast came out a big winner in the negotiated transfers sweepstakes. For example, its state
governmentsreceived60% of total negotiatedtransfers in 1988.Note that the sameregion receivedonly
21.48%of total tax transfers. Thus the negotiated transfers substantilalyreverse the equity objectives
sought through the tax transfers. A closer look at the shares of individualstates from the negotiated
transfers in the southeast presents an interestingpicture. For example,Table 15 showsthat the State
of Sao Paulo, the richest state in the region and the nation, received90% of the total transfers made to
the southeast region. Here again,as in the caseof Maranhao,it wouldbe interesting to see whether an
apparently favourable accessto negotiated transfers availableto Sao Paulo is supported by economic
reasons or simplya reflection on its political clout in the federation.
From the casualobservationsreported in earlier paragraphs,two important issuesarise:(1)
the importance of political factors in the decisionsconcerning negotiated transfers; and (2) the extent
to whichthe redistributivecharacterof the taxsharingmechanismsare offset bythe negotiated transfers.
The political nature of negotiated transfers is well recognized though not yet fully documented, for
reasons descnbed earlier, in Brazil. Equity implicationsof these transfers willbe discussedfurther in a
later section on equalization.
A brief description of conveniosby major function follows:
Health Care: A federal programto f,luancean integrated (unified)and decentralizedsystem
of health care named SUDS was initiated in 1987by a PresidentialOrder (Decree Law no. 94657). Its
objectives are to coordinate the health policies of the three different levels of government and to
establisha unified health policyfor the nation as a whole. The 1988Constitution has reiterated the same
objectives (vide article 198). The new Constitution has stressed decentralized deliveryof health care
with communitylevel participationemphasizingpreventivecare.
In 1987,a large numberof convenioswere negotiated between the Union and States with
the followingobjectives:
(i) management of INAMPS (NationalInstitute for MedicalAssistanceof the SocialSecurity
System)centers;
48
(ii) financingof INAMPS centers; and
(iii) servicesto be providedby these centres.
Municipalitieshad the option of participatingin the conveniosunder the terms of agreement
acceptable to each state.
Financing for SUDS primarilycome from the Fundo de Previdencia e AssistenciaSocial
(FPAS). FPAS comprisesof socialsecuritycontributions of employersand employeesthrough payroll
deductions. The amountsto be transferred isdetermined on a yearlybasisby supplemental agreements
(TA:termosaditivos) as established by the convenios. After the signingof TAs , funds are transferred
in monthlyinstallmentsto states (see AppendixC for details).
The transfer of fundscurrentlydoes not followany formalcriterion. The allocationof funds
primarily takes place through the Integrated Programming-BudgetingProject (POI:Projeto de
Programacao-orcamentacao Integrado). POI attempts to reconcile needs of various levels of
governmentfor health care to the availabilityof funds. Details of the POI processare givenin appendix
C. Previous year allocation usuallyserves as a reference point for current allocation. For example,in
1989,the MPAS (the federal Ministryof SocialSecurity)establishedceilingsfor transfers to each state
based on a monetary correction of the actual transfers in 1988.
Of total spending on health at the state level (from all sources) federal transfers via
conveniosamounted to 7% of the total over the period 1981-86.There isa great deal of variationamong
states regardingfederal share of health care spending. Alagoasreceived13%of total financingwhereas
Ceara received 4.3% of total only.
States and municipalities receive 43% of the funds transferred by INAMPS, federal
government entities 2.3% and therefore the puL.; sector as a whole receives45.3% of total transfers.
Of the remaining funds 11.7% is allocated to private contractors (contratos); 7% to the conveniosnetworkand 26.7%to the participationof the private networkin the HospitalAdmissionsAuthorization
Network (AIMs:Autorizacaopara Intemacao Hospitalar). 1988and 1989distributionof fundsby state
is presented in Table 20.
Regional Development: Not much details are available on programs for regional
development. Most of the funds are reported as intergovernmental transfers under the heading
49
Table 20
BUDGETARYDISTRIBUTIONOF SUDS
By Federal Unit
(in percent)
Federal Unit
1988
1989
NORTH
Amazonas
Para
Acre
Amapa
Rondonia
Roraima
Tocantins
5.77
1.55
2.23
0.57
0.23
1.14
0.05
-
6.68
1.47
2.72
0.49
0.20
1.00
0.20
0.60
2'..84
1.28
7.66
3.87
2.61
1.82
0.72
3.76
1.14
1.90
28.55
1.45
7.68
4.64
2.97
2.30
0.99
4.60
1.85
2.07
6.77
2.74
0.91
1.03
2.09
6.71
3.00
1.01
1.15
1.55
SOUTHEAST
Espirito Santo
Minas Gerais
Sao Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
48.43
1.76
6.60
28.71
11.36
43.42
1.63
7.78
24.44
9.57
SOUTH
Parana
Rio Grande do Sul
Santa Catarina
14.19
6.11
5.39
2.69
14.64
5.88
5.99
2.77
100.00
100.00
NORTHEAST
Alagoas
Bahia
Ceara
Maranhao
Paraiba
Sergipe
Pernambuco
Piaui
Rio Grande do Norte
CENTRE-WEST
Goias
Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso do Sul
Distrito Federal
BRAZIL
50
Investimentos em Regime de Execucao Especial (IREE) in BGU. In 1987,8% of total conditional
transfers were for regional development (see Table 18).
Education: Typicallyeducation transfers account for nearly one-third of total transfers.
Nearly half of these transfers go to the northeast region. Education financing in Brazil comes from
earmarked tax revenues (education salarytax:2.5%taxon private sector wagescollected and returned
by origin and Finsocial:TheSocial Investment Fund comprisingproceeds from a 0.5% tax on gross
receiptsof allbusinesses.All revenuesfrom this are earmarked for socialservices),general revenue fund
and project grants through convenios. While not muchdetails are availablefor conveniosfor secondary
and post-secondaryeducation,some details are availablefor Convenio Unico - a major instrument for
the transfer of federal funding for primary education. This convenio establishes procedures for the
preparation, submission and review of states and municipal requests for project financing.
Documentation required for this purpose include a work plan organized by major edpicationalgoals,
specific objectives under each goal and proposed projects to achieve the specified objectives. This
project submissionapproval process is intended to give the federal government strong control over
establishmentof expenditure priorities at state and municipallevels.
HousingandUrbanDevelopment:During 1984-87,10%offederalnegotiated transferswere
made availabieto states (26% of total) and to municipalities(74% of total) to finance various housing
and urban development initiatives(see Appendix Table Al).
PlanningandAdministration:Conveniosforplanninganddevelopmentaretheresponsibility
of SEPLAN. The tunds transferred for planning and administration however need not be spent on
planning and administration. The fundsare intended to providefinancialsupport to projects related to
the development of basicsocialservicesand for infrastructure.
Agriculture: Typically7% of total federal transfers in a given year go towards financing
agriculturaldevelopmentprojectsinitiated primarilyby the states and occasionallyby the municipalities.
51
2.3
Intergovernmental Transfers: A Conceptual Perspective *
In attempting an economic evaluation of intergovernmental transfers in Brazil, it is
instructivefirst to revieweconomic rationale of transfers in a federation. This reviewwill serve as a
frameworkfor passingqualitativejudgements on the design of existingtransfers. From the theoryone
can predict the general directionof influencea grant mayhave on the recipient's behaviour. Of course,
the magnitudeof this influence can oilly be determined by an empirical analysiswhich is beyond the
scope of this paper (see Shah, 1980,1989for an econometric modelwhichdistinguishesthe income and
price effectsof grants empirically).Some knowledgeof the general direction of grants is useful both in
designinggrant programs to meet specific objectives as well as to evaluate the existing structure of
transfers. In the followingsections, major types of grant programs are discussedand their rationale is
also reviewed. The Brazilian system of transfers is evaluated in terms of its consistencywith stated
objectivesand possible reform options are outlined.
2.31
Grant Types
2.311
Non-matching Transfers
Non-matching funds may be either selective or general (conditional or non-conditional).
Selective non-matchingtransfers offer a given amount of funds without any local matchingrequired
provided it is spent for a particular purpose. The effect of this upon a lower level government's
(hereafter referred as local government) budget constraint is shownin Figure 1. The post-grant budget
line (ACD) isthe pre-grant budget line (AB) shiftedrightby the amount of the transfer (AC). SinceOE
(equal to AC) of the assistedactivityis free good from the local perspective,at least OE willbe acquired
and perhaps, but not necessarily,mors.
Selectivenon-matchinggrants are best suited as a means of subsidizingactivities to which
the higher levelgovernment (sayFederal government) assignsa high priority but are givenlow priority
by local governments. Such a case would occur if a programgenerated a very high degree of spillovers
*
lis
section is based on McMillan, Shah and Gil!en (1980)
52
Other
Public Goods
(NCz$)
A
-
-
C
-
7Med Public Service
(NCz$)
E
GRANT
FIGURE 1 : CONDITIONALNON-MATCHING
Other
Public Goods
(NCz$)
A
B
GRANT
NON-MATCHING
FIGURE 2: UNCONDITIONAL
D
Assisted
(NCz$)
Public
Service
53
up to some levelof provision (like OE) after whichthe external benefits abruptlyterminate. Although,
there is no evidence to suggest that these features characterize state and local provisionof education,
health, regional developoment and agriculture in Brazil,yet almost all the funding through convenios
is of the selective non-matchingvariety.
If the non-matchinggrant is unconditionalor general, then no constraints are put upon how
it is to be spent. Thus unlike the previous case no minimumexpenditure in any area is expected. -n this
case,the recipient's budget lineis shiftedupwardsand to the right throughoutby the amountof the grant
(AC=BD) and the new budget line becomes CD as opposed to AB (see Figure 2). The grant monies
can be spent on any combination,publicgoodsor servicesand/or to providetaxrelief to residents. Since
general non-matchingassistancedoes not modifyrelative prices and must not be spent for a particular
activity,it is the least stimulativeof local expenditures. Typically,local expenditure willonly increase
by less than NCz$ 0.50 for each additional NCz$ 1.00of unconditional assistancewith the remaining
fundsgoingtowardstaxrelief (i.e.made availableto local residentsto use for private goodsand services).
It has been noted that the portion of grants retained for greater local expenditure exceeds local
government's own revenue relative to resident's incomes. This is referred to as the "flypapereffect"
(Gramlich, 1977); that is grant money tends to stick where it first lands. The implication is that for
politicaland bureaucratic reasonsgrants to localgovernmentstend to result in greater localexpenditure
than would result if the same transfers were made directlyto local residents.
The federal taxtransfersto states and municipalitiesthrough the FPE and FPM areexamples
of grantsof thisvariety. There issome evidenceto suggestthat such transfers are inducingmunicipalities
to underutilize their own tax bases.
Given an amount of available assistance,recipients of grants prefer unconditional nonmatchingtransfers. This is because these grants provide them with the maximumflexbility to pursue
their own objectivesas they augment resources without influencingtheir pattern of spending. Hence,
the recipient is able to maximizehis ownwelfare. The grantor, however,maybe prepared to sacrifice
some of the recipient's satisfactionin order to ensure that the funds are directed towards expenditures
on whichhe places a priority. This isparticularlyso when federal objectivesof affordingfiscalassistance
to states and municipalitiesis implementedthrough the programso manydifferent departments (e.g.
54
planning, health, education etc.) rather than through the Ministry of Finance which does not have a
dominant influence in any specific area. In this case, the different departments do not want their
programfunds to be shifted, or even seem to be shifted, by local governmentstowardsexpenditures in
other areas. In this situation, conditional (selective)non-matching"block"grants are attractive. Such
funding of state-local assistancecan ensure that the funds are spent in a department's area of interest
(e.g. health care) yet need not distort local priorities among alternative activitiesor :nduce inefficient
allocationsin that expenditure area. This wouldappear to in part be the objectivespursued through the
non-matchingSUDS programs, although as presentlystructured, these programs may not be attaining
these objectivesin the most cost effective manner.
2.312
SelectiveMatchingTranskrs
Selective matching grants are those which require that the funds be spent for a specific
purpose (i.e. conditional)and that the recipient matches the fundsto some degree (e.g. 50:50,66.3:33.7
etc.). They are also called cost-sharing programs. Consider a 25 percent subsidy program for
transportation. The effect of such a program on localgovernment budget constraint isshown in Figure
3. Without this transportation subsidy,ABindicatesthe combinationsof transportation and other public
goodsand servicesa citycan acquire with a budget of OA (equal to OB). Introducing a federal subsidy
for transportation amounting to 25 percent of transportation expenditures(or NCz$3.00of local funds
for each NCz$ 1.00of grant), the budget line of attainable combinationsbecomesAC. At any level of
other goods and services, the communitycan obtain one-third more transportation services than
previously.
If the communitychose combinationM prior to the grant, it willlikelyselect a combination
such as N afterwards. At N, more transportationis acquired. This results from two effects. One due to
the subsidythe communityhas more resources (i.e. higher income) and some of those go to acquiring
more transportation services.This is the income effect. The income effect is reinforced by the price or
substitution effect. Since the subsidy reduces the cost (or price) per unit to the community of
transportation services,they acquire more (even if total resources were no greater). Hence, both the
55
Other
Public
Goods
(NCz$)
A
N~~~
\ 25% subsidy
N,
Other
Public
Goods
(NCz$)
B
O
C
Transportation($
(NCz$)
c~~~
AL
F
Figure 4: CLOSED ENDED MATCHING GRANT
B
C
Education (NCz
()
56
price and income effects of the subsidystimulatethe acquisitionof more transportation services.
Although the grant is for transportation, more of other public goods and servicesma"'also
be acquired, although the relative price of other goodsincrease (ie. they become more expensive)and
the price effect works againstthem. If the positiveincomeeffect is sufficientlylarge,it willdominateand
a part of the grant's effect willbe greater levelof consumptionof other goodsand services. Most studies
tend to find that for grants of this kind, expenditures hi the specified area increase by less than the
amount of the grant with remainder shifted towards other public output and tax relief. For example,
NCz$ 1.00of grant tends to increase expenditures in the assistedarea by NCz$ 0.80. The other NCz$
0.20 is diverted to finance other public services(see Shah, 1979).
Open ended matching grants are well suited for correcting inefficienciesin public goods
provision arising from benefit spillovers. Benefit spillovers , or externalities, occur when services
provided and financed by a local govermmentalso benefit membersof other local governmentswithout
their contributingto finance their provision. As membersof the providinggovernment perceive all the
costs but obtain only a portion of the benefits, theywilltend to under-providethe goods from the social
viewpoint. If compensation arranged through negotiation among the affected communities is not
feasible, the situation can be corrected by a senior government subsidizingthe provision of the public
service. The extent of spillovershould determine the degree of subsidy(matchingratio for grant).
While matchinggrants can correct for inefficienciesarising due to spillovers,they do not
cope with problemsarisingfrom uneven or inadequate fiscalcapacitiesamongstate-localgovernments.
Hence, local governments with ample resources, e.g. Sao Paulo, can afford to meet the matching
requirements and so can acquire a substantialamount of assistance. However,other governmentssuch
as Para and Ceara with more limitedfiscalcapacities maybe unable to devote as much to match federal
fundsand so fail to obtain as muchassistance although their requirements maybe no less and, indeed,
their needs mayeven be greater. Other formsof assistanceare needed to equalize fiscalcapacities.
Closed ended matchingprovisionsare usuallypreferred by grantors as they then are better
able to control their budgets. The effect of closedended matchinggrants on the local budget constraint
isshown in Figure 4. ABis the originalbudgetlinewith when no subsidiesare available. However,when
assistancefor say education is availableat say 66.7 percent rate up to a limit,the budget line is ACD.
57
Initially,costs are shared on a one-third:two-thirdbasis upto a level of OF at which the subsidylimitof
CD'(=CE) is reached. Expenditures for education beyond OF receive no subsidyso the slope of the
budget line is 1:1 rather than 1:3 along the subsidizedsegment, AC.
Although one would not expect closed ended grants to stimulate expenditures on the
subsidizedactivitymore than open-ended grants, empiricalliterature typicallyfinds them to be more
stimulating. Gramlich(1977)and Shah (1979,1989)report that the estimatedresponse to an additional
$1.00of this kind of grant is typically$1.50. Institutional factorsmayexplainthe rather large response.
Gramlichnotes that this type of grant is frequently used to encourage spending in areaswith elastic (i.e.
responsive to income and price effects) demands, the grants are large relative to normal spending by
recipients in these areas, and/or the granting governments take measures to discourage the reduction
of recipients'expenditures on these aided activities.
One might reasonably askwhy the extensiveuse of selectiveclosed ended matchinggrants
by developedcountries when theyseem ill-designedto solveproblemsand inefficienciesin publicgoods
provision.The answerseems to be that correctingfor inefficienciesis not the sole and perhaps not even
the primary objective sought with their use. Rather they are employed as a means of assisting local
governmentsfinanciallywhile promoting expenditures on activitiesgiven priorityby the grantor. The
selective aspectsor conditionson the spending ensures that the funds are directed towardsa desirable
activityin the grantor's view. The local matchingor cost sharing component affordsthe grantor a degree
of control over and requires a degree of accountabilityby the recipient. Finally,of course, the cost to
the granting government is known.
The conditional closed end matching grant has certain advantages from the grantor's
perspectivebut there are also disadvantages.While they mayresult in a significanttransfer of resources
providingfinancialassistance,it maydistort output and cause inefficienciesin doing so. The reason for
this is that this aid is often only available for a fewactivitieswhich results in excessivespending in those
areaswhileothers are underfinanced. The common argument isthat local priorities are distorted. Also,
it is typicalthat capital outlays are subsidizedwhile operating wostsare not. This results in selecting
alternativeswhich are too capital intensiveto be least cost. These aspectswillbe discussedlater in the
context of the Braziliansystem. A summaryview of the impact of selective transfers is presented in
58
Table 21. This table suggeststhat open ended selectivematching grants are most suitable vehicle in
inducingincrease in expenditure on the assisted function by lower level governments. General nonmatchingtransfers, on the other hand, wouldbe preferred if the objectivewassimplyto enb-incewelfare
of local residents.
2.32
The Economic Rationale for Intergovernmental Transfers
In the preceding sections grants were discussedaccording to the different arrangements
under which they are provided, i.e., selective and general non-matching and open and closed ended
selective matching. In that discussion, the underlying rationale for grants was introduced but not
elaborated upon. In order to re-emphasize this fundamental rationale and its implicationsfor grant
structure, the basic reasons for transfers are reiterated and summarized. Gramlich (1977), Boadway
(1980,1990),and Shah (1979, 1983,1984)note that there are economicand politicaljustificationsfor
grants. Economicjustificationsinclude efficiency(spillovers,common market arguments, differential
net fiscalbenefits),equity(fiscalgap, differentialnet fiscalbenefits,redistribution)and to a minordegree
stabilization objectives. An interesting aspect of the theory of grants is that efficiencyand equity
objectivesare often complementary. Boadway(1980,1990)suggeststhat application of efficiencyand
equity principlesresults in four main economicreasons for grants. These are discussedbelow:
(i) Inter-jurisdictionalSpillovers:Intergovernmentaltransfers can be used to increase the
efficiencywith which public goods and servicesare provided. Their major contribution
is to correct for inefficienciesarising in the presence of interjurisdictionalspillovers.
Spilloversusuallyoccur because the benefits of a locallyprovidedgood or service itself
spills beyond the local jurisdiction to benefit those not contributing to the costs (e.g.,
benefits from control of air and water poliution, and locallyeducated students who
relocate) and because non-residents come to the localityand enjoy the public services
provided(e.g. parks, cultural,recreational and transportation facilities,state universities,
state welfare and health care system). In the presence of spillovers, state-local
governmentsconsiderownbenefits onlyand under-providepublicservices. While other
Table21
GRANTS
IHPACT-OFcoITmoNAL
THE CONCEPTUAL
Typeof Grant
IncomeEffect
Effect
U
*;
_
U
Si
Function
Rankby Objective
8A/BG
Price(substitution)TotalEffect
_
_
U A
S5ncroasein
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
Expenditure
_
_
_
_
_
Welfare
MATCHING
A. SELECTIVE
i
Open-_nded
tt
tU
>1
1
8
I
if
U1
2
2 or 3
4
t
t
t
•i
3
2
t
t
t
t
t
tt
t
t
t
1
1
t
t
-
-
ii. Close-ended
binding constraint
constraint t
non-binding
8.
NON-MATCHINC
SELECTIVE
C. ENERALNON-MATCHING
Note
t
UV
t
t
-
-
-
t
t
-
-
-
subfunction
= Assisted
A = AssistedFunction
U = Unassistedfunctions (services)
0 a Grant
Source: AnwarShah (1985)
-
t
t
t
t
t
2
1
(1
3
1
60
approaches such as redrawingofjurisdictionalboundariesand/orseparatejurisdiction for
each servicemayalso be used (McMillan,1975),intergovernmentaltransfers are a major
and often the most practicalmeans of alleviatingthe inefficienciesarisingfrom spillovers
of this kind. Open ended conditionalmatchinggrantswhichmodifyrelativepricesare the
kind of transfers that is most appropriate for implementingthese corrections. The extent
of cost sharing by the higher level of government should be consistentwith the degree of
spiliover. Benefit spilloversis not consideredto be a serious problem in BraziL
(ii) FiscalGap: A mismatchbetween revenue means and expenditureneeds at various levels
creates a structural imbalance resulting in revenue shortfall usuallyfor a lower level
government. This imbalanceischaracterized as a fiscalgap. Four often cited reasons for
this imbalance are:(a) inappropriate expenditure and tax assignment;(b)limited and or
unproductive tax bases availableto a lower levelsof government so that tax rates would
have to be inefficientlyhigh (e.g.in Mexicoand Pakistan);(c):regionaltaxcompetitionie.
state and localgovernmentsfearfulof loosingcapital,labour and businessactivityto other
jurisdictions do not fullyexploit businesstax potentials and thus provide lower levelsof
public services ; and (d): federal government crowds out tax room for state and local
public sector.
To correct for problems associatedwith (a) and (b) abovejoint occupancy of some tax
fieldsor decentralizationof some taxesare advocated. Alternately unconditionalgrants
and/or revenue sharingbased on originprincipleare also appropriatt solutionsto dealwith
this problem. Higher revenue effort bythe federal governmentand unconditionalgrants
are required to dealwith taxcompetition issuesdiscussedin (c) above. Finally,to deal with
(d) above some form of tax abatement by the federal government is necessaryto provide
more tax room for lower levels in fieldsjointly occupied by the two or three levels of
government.
(iii) MinimumStandards of Services:A third justification for intergovernmentaJtransfers is
based on an efficiency-cum-equitycase for ensuring commonminimumstandards across
jurisdictionsina federation. Forcertainservices,expenditureassignmenttostateandlocal
government may be based on efficiency of public service provision as well as
responsivenessto localneeds and concerns.This mayconflictwiththe nationalequityand
efficiencyobjectives(see Boadway,1980,1990).
Musgrave (1976) has argued that the redistributive role of the public sector is best
performed by the federal government. Mobilityof factorswithin a federation severely
limitsthe redistributiverole of local governments. The New York city providesa prime
examplein this case. Redistributivepolicies adopted by the city in the 1970screated a
major fiscalcrisis and the federal governmenthad to intervene and reverse these policies
to restore the financial health of the city. Hence, the case for the assignment of
redistributive function to the federal government is quite strong on theoretical grants.
Several of the public servicesassigned to state and local governments on efficiencyor
accountabilitygroundsare strongly redistributivein character. Social insurance, health,
education and welfare are prime examplesof such services. Consider the case of health
and education services. These are quasi-privategoods and strictly from a technological
efficiencypoint of viewwouldbe best providedby the private sector. Indeed in the U.S.
health care is byand large treated as a private good. The WorldBank, in recent years, has
marshalleda great deal of resourcesto advocateprivate provisionof health and education
servicesin developingcountries based on this view of economicefficiency. Needless to
argue that such a viewpointcompletely ignores information asymmetriessuch as moral
hazard and adverse selection associatedwith private provision of such services. Fiscal
federalismliterature has argued that informationalinefficienciesalone do not provide a
convincingcase for the public provision of health care and education. This literature
points out that most governmentstreat health care as a fundamentalpublicresponsibility
and striveto provide these serviceson a uniformbasis. This is because these servicesare
viewed as "redistributionsin-kind". Thus a case for public provision of these services
primarilyrests on equity objectives. Consider the case of health services. Incidence of
disease is directly correlated with the incidence of poverty and by corollary inversely
associated with economicwell-being. Thus public finance and provision of health care
62
enhances the redistnbutive role of the public sector. Similarlypublic provision of
education,byimprovingaccessof the poor, servesto further equalityofopportunitygoals.
Relative importance of expenditures on health, education and social services further
suggeststhat the redistributioneffected by the tax systemor direct cash transfers pale in.
comparisonwith the in-kindredistnbution made possible by these public services.
In a federal system,lower level provisionof such serviceswhiledesirable from efficiency,
preference matching and accountabilityperspectives, create certain difficulties in the
fulfillmentof federal equity objectives. Factor mobilityand tax competition influences
createstrongincentives forlower levelgovernmentstounder-providesuchservicesaswell
as restrict accessof such servicesto those most in need such as the poor or the old in view
oftheirgreatersusceptibilityto diseaseand therebyposingpotentiallygreaterrisksforcost
curtailment. These perverse incentivescan be alleviatedby conditional selective nonmatching grants from the federal govemment. Such grants would not effect local
govemments incentives for cost efficiency while ensuring compliance with federally
specified standards for accessand level of services.
A second justificationfor commonminimumstandards for publicservicesin a federation
is basedon economicefficiencyconsiderations. Commonminimumstandardswouldhelp
reduce interregional barriers to factor and goods mobilityand thereby contribute to
efficiency gains. Establishment of some minimum standards of social services will
encourage labour mobilityand of infrastructure capital willenhance factors and goods
mobility. Boadwayhas emphasizedthat harmonization of expenditures would improve
gains from interregional trade and help foster a common intemal market.
Commonminimumstandardsfor publicservicesacrossdifferent statescan be encouraged
through conditional non-matchingor conditional closed ended matchingprograms. A
conditional non-matching program is to be preferred due to its non-obtrusive nature.
State governmentswould be free to spend grant monies as they chose providedcertain
minimumstandardsofservice and accessare met. The higher levelgovernmentwillsimply
63
monitor compliancewith these standards. Note that conditional non-matchinggrants in
pursuit of common minimumstandards serve both efficiencyand equity objectives.
(iv) Differential Net FiscalBenefits Across States
Differential uietfiscalbenefits acrossvarious states arise due to a number of reasons:
a. Some states are better endowed in natural resources and therefore have better access
to an enlarged revenue base than others;
b. Some states or localitieshave relativelyhigher incomes and therefore greater ability
to raise revenues from existingbases; and
c. Some states or localities have inherited higher cost disabilityfactors such as lacking
the mininmumthreshold for scale economies or difficultterrain factors etc. or higher
need factorssuch as greater proportion of young,old and the poor.
The presence of differential net fiscalbenefits encourages fiscallyinduced migration.
Labour and capital may move to areas with positive net fiscalbenefits based on fiscal
considerations alone. In the process, some negative externalities imposed on the
jurisdictionsthey leave and the jurisdictions they enter are ignored. A fisherman from
Para maymigrate to Minas Gerais, although he may not have any gainful employment
opportunity there. Overall result of such fiscallyinduced migrationwould be that too
many of the factors will move to resource rich areas creating in its wake social and
economicproblems and thereby serious inefficienciesand inequities. Inefficiencyarises
as factor movement takes place in response to fiscal considerations alone. Inequity is
caused by identicalpersons in various states beingtreated differentlybythe publicsector
as a whole. National welfare is reduced by the externalities imposed by the fiscally
induced migration.
Fiscalequalizationgrants to eliminate/reducedifferential net fiscalbenefits acrossstates
can enhance both the efficiencyand equity of a federal system. An ideal form of such
transfers would be an interstate revenue pool which providesboth negativeand positive
equalizationgrantsto memberstatessuch that net transfers equal zero. Thus the program
by design willbe self financing. Such a grant systemmust be unconditionaland must not
64
reward strategic behaviour to enhance positivegrant entitlement or minimizenegative
transfer by member states. Thus grant design must incorporate factorsover which states
have little control. Three grant programsthat have endured and are broadlyconsistent
with the aboveguidelinesare the West German, Canadian and the Australiansystemsof
equalization transfers. The West German system is a fraternal system of equalization
among the German states. The federal government simply acts as an observer and
occasionallyasa mediator. The Canadianand Australiansystemare not self financingand
instead are federal programs. The Canadian system attempts to augment the fiscal
capacityof member provincesup to the nationalaverage capacity. The systemmeasures
the fiscalcapacityof a state by the revenue that could be raised in that state if the state
goven lent employed all of the standardirevenue sources at the nationwide average
intensityof use. The Australiansystemworries aboutexpenditure needs as well(see Shah
1983,1984). Issuesin the designof an equalizationprogramare discussedin an appendix
to this chapter.
A further but infrequently mentioned objective of these transfers is to advance
stabilizationpoliciesof the federal government as discussedbelow:
(v) Stabilization Objectives: Intergovernmental transfers can also be turned to assist in
achievingeconomic stabilizationobjectives. Grants could increase in periods of slack
economicactivityto encourage localexpenditure and diminishduring the upswingof the
economiccycle.Capitalgrants wouldbe a suitable instrumentfor this purpose. Care must
be exercisedinensuring that fundsare availablefor operatingexpendituresassociatedwith
such initiatives.
2.4
Intergovernmental Transfers in Brazil: An EconomicEvaluation
The conceptual basisof intergo' r; mental grants enunciated in earlier section providesus
with a framework to evaluate the existing s;.
ire of intergovernmental transfers in Brazil. The
followingsectionspresent observatir ns on the taxsharing and transfer programs in Brazil.
65
2.41
Tax SharingProgram:A CloserExamination
As discussedearlier revenue sharing in Braziltakesplace through twomajor funds,one each
for states (FPE) and municipalities(FPM) and for certain taxesdistributionof fundsbyoriginaccording
to pre-specifiedshares. The followingdiscussiontakes a closer look at the two revenue sharing pools
mentioneG 'hove.
2.411
States ParticipationFund:A CriticalLook
The taxsharing programfor states (FPE) in place in Brazilismodelledafter the nowdefunct
U.S. Revenue SharingProgram of the 1970s.This programrepresents a significantimprovementover
the U.S. program but manyshortcomingsremain.
The program is transparent and enjoys popular political support. It pays due regard to
political autonomy of recipient units and places no special restrictions on the use of funds. It offers
predictabilityof grant shares of individualstates and thereby encourages federal units in taking a long
term view of their expenditure priorities. The program is redistributive in nature. Grant funds are
intended to vary directlywith fiscalneed (population size) and inverselywith fiscalcapacity(per capita
income). Incorporation of population and per capita income havebeen done with a finesse. The values
of these factors havebeen restricted to a range to avoidundue infuence of abnormal values of one or
more factors on a state's share. Furthermore such a range specificationimplicitlyrecognizes a basic
minimumgrant level for each state ( per capita NCz$ 1.70in 1988).
State Participation Fund (FPE) as currently structured is beset with manydifficulties.It
incorporates per capita income as a measure of fiscalcapacity. Per capita incomeis an imperfect guide
to the abilityof a state government to raise taxes as it is conceivablethat a significantproportion of
income mayaccrue to non-resident ownersof factorsof production. Even if these conceptual problems
are ignored, significanterrors in estimatingstate gross domestic product in Brazil are encountered to
make the measure unacceptable for an equalization program. Moreover, estimates of state per capita
income are quite dated (most recent estimatesare for 1980)and therefore of little relevance for use in
66
a programof fundamental importance in federal-state fiscalrelations such as the FPE. All factors are
combined in the formula in a multiplicativemanner and therefore an outlier performance on account
of one factor can significantlyinfluence the state entitlement from the FPE. The FPE attempts to
achieve a number of diverse and somewhat conflicting objectives such as revenue sharing and
equalizationin a singlemeasureand thereforeexpectedlysignificantlyfallsshorton individualobjectives.
Consider the equityobjectives. While the formulais indeed redistributivein nature in its overall impact,
certain inequitiesin individualstate shares arisefrom its application. For examplethe States oftAcreand
Para both had the same 1988per capita income of NCz$266but Para qualified for NCz$9.00in tax
transfers asopposed to NCz$49forAcre. Roraima,on the other hand, had onlyslightlyhigherper capita
income of NCz$286 but received NCz$123in per capita tax transfers (see Table 9). While federal
transfers do promote regional equity, the standard they strive to achieve remains to be specified. Per
capitarevenues inclusiveof transfers in the northeast and the north in 1988only reached roughly 2/3rd
of the national average. Finally,while there is no visible opposition to the formula for the FPE in
politicalor even academic circles in Brazil, States' Council in recent years has rejected its results and
instead have decided to allocate the revenue pool on the basis of a political compromisewhich makes
a furtherdownwardadjustmentin the participationcoefficients(shares) of richer states. It is remarkable
that such a compromisecould be struck.
2.412
MunICipalParticipation Fund: A Review
MunicipalParticipationFund(FPM)is auniqueprogramoffederal-municipalunconditional
transfers. BrazilianInstitute of MunicipalAdministration(IBAM) has labelled it as "the most generous
tax (transfer) system of municipal revenues among all developing count:ies" (IBAM Press Release
No.96,September 1989). IBAM notes that federal tax transfer to municipalitiesthrough this fund in
Brazilfar exceedsthe total budget of similarsizedmunicipalitiesin other Latin American countries. For
a large number of municipalities,FPM represents more than two-thirdof their gross revenues from all
sources.
67
The program is transparent and thoughtfullydesignedin certain respects. For example,the
formula recognizes population size an important determinant of need and also recognizes certain
thresholds in population size. The distributionof fundsis primarilybased on population size and state
per capita income. State capitalsand larger municipalitiesbecause of their differential fiscalcapacities
and needs are treated separately from smaller and mediumsized municipalities.
The FPM formula neverthelesshas significantdrawbacks. State per capita income is used
as a proxyfor municipalfiscalcapacityin the distributionformula. This causes a number of difficulties.
First, there is no municipalincometaxin Brazil (and none iscalled for due to capital and labour mobility)
and therefore per capita income is a poor indicator of a local government's abilityto raise revenues.
Second,state per capitaincome is also a poor indexof municipalptr capita income as per capita income
variesa great deal withinmost Brazilianstates. In short, the formula failsto reflectupon the differential
fiscalcapacityof Brazilianmunicipalitiesin a meaningfulway and as a result does not distribute federal
funds among Brazilianmunicipalitiesin a fair and equitable manner. For example,in 1988,per capita
transfers to n unicipalitiesin Minas Gerais, a rich state, was NCz$6.39as opposed to NCz$5.07in Para,
a have-not state.
The so-calledgenerosityof federal funding for municipalfunctionscreates some problems
as well. For example, there is some evidence to suggest that generous availabilityof federal fundshas
resulted in some municipalitiesunder-utilizingand in some instancesabandoningowntax bases e.g. the
property tax. Revenues from the urban property tax (IPTU) have been observed to decline in recent
years. Almostall municipalitiesare payinginadequate attention to user charges. Thus the overalleffect
of the current arrangementshavebeen to discourageown fiscaleffort by municipalitiesas their revenue
gains have outstripped any concomitant increase in their responsibilities. Further, municipal
accountabilityhas been significantlyreduced as local politicianshave no great need to convincevoters
about the desirabilityof local spending.
68
2.42
Negotiated Transfers: An Examination
It was earlier noted that most negotiated transfers in Brazil are of selective non-matching
project grants. Such grants are useful when the expenditure priorities of the grantor and the recipient
differ substantially. Project review and approval process is an attempt to safeguard the grantor's
objectives. Most of the time such an attempt failsas the processcreates incentivesfor recipients to put
forwardtheir best and of mutual interest projects which they would havefinanced any way and use the
fundsto financeother servicesof interest only to the recipient. The ingenuityof bureaucrats to convert
grant monies into fungibleresources can hardlybe understated.
The federal government in Brazil, in the past, has attempted to use project review and
approval process to influencestate and local priorities to secure federal objectives. SUDS represents
an example of such an attempt. In more recent years, these transfers have served not as a means of
safeguardingany federal objectivesbut more as a vehicle for pork-barrel politics and therefore, grant
programs have multipliedand for manyof these programs,program objectivesare either not specified
or specifiedvaguely. Afonso (1988,p.15) notes that examplesabound when fundswere made available
prior to the submissionof project proposal. Further, in manyinstances,federal fundsare made available
to finance purelylocal functions. In 1988,there were 117federal-state-localmajor programswith over
5000 sub-programs(convenios). Each of the state has several thousandsof its own convenios. Sheer
numbers of these programs discourageattempts at an analysis. Further, all three levelsof government
do not maintainany central inventoriesof such programs. There are some obviousreasons for this state
of affairs. Various governmentscan exercisecomplete discretion over these fundswithout havingany
accountability. Enhanced flexibilityis being achieved at the cost of transparency, objectivity and
accountability.
Of a large numberof conveniosmentioned earlier,the major conveniosfor financinghealth
care and education deserve some comments.
Integrated and Decentralized Health Care System (SUDS): SUDS represents one of the
better thought of convenios. It does not follow any formal criteria for allocation of funds to state and
local and private sector entities. Allocationto governmental units is based on a history of past health
expenditures and any agreedupon capital projects. Formalprocesseshavebeen establishedfor requests
69
and deliveryof fundsto state and localgovernments.This processseeksto balanceexpendituredemands
with availableresources.
The existingdesign of SUDS is subject to a number of cufrent and potential difficulties.
These center on: the availabilityof funds;degree of federal involvement;differentialtreatment of public
and private providersof health care.
Availabilityand Predictabilityof funds:SUDSis financedbysocialsecuritycontnbutions and
therefore competes with other socialsecurityrelated expenditures for financing. The 1988Constitution
has expanded the range of social security benefits available to employees. There has been no
correspondingincreases in socialsecurity contributions. Further, new tax sharing arrangements have
limitedthe revenues at the disposalof the federalgovernment. Thesefiscalstrains are likelyto constrain
the federal funds availablefor the SUDS.
Degree of Federal Involvement:The 1988 Constitution has defined health care a shared
responsibilitybetween different levelsof government. While the constitutional assignmentis open to
conflictinginterpretations by various levels,the intent is fairlyclear. The federal government has the
primaryresponsibilityin setting norms and distribution of federal funds; the states are responsiblefor
deliveryof health care under the norms specifiedby the federal goverment. Municipalitiesare seen
as executingagentson behalf of the state governments. In practice,federal governmentis involvedboth
in defininghealth policybut also the deliveryof health care. In 1988,only 41.6% of total expenditures
of SUDS were directed bystate and local govemments. Even for the transfers made availableto state
and local govemments, for a large proportion of these funds, effectivecontrol remained at the centre
in viewof project approvalprocess. This centralizationof authorityis clearlyincompatibleboth with the
stated objectivesof SUDS as wellas with the constitutional assignmentof health care responsibilities.
Based on the economic principles enunciated earlier also, the federal involvementin health care is
justifiedon account of the redistributivenature of this publicservice. Thiswould call for a more passive
role by the federal government than is currently exercised by the INAMPS (National Institute for
MedicalAssistance and SocialSecurityof the Federal Ministryof SocialSecurity).
Differential Treatment of Public and Private Sectors:High rates of inflation and time lags
in the deliveryof transfers create certain anomaliesin the treatment of public vs private providers of
70
health care by the INAMPS. Current time lag for the transferof fundsupon approval from the federal
treasury to state and local governmentsis about 70 days(see Afonso 1989)whereas the samelag for the
private sector is about 45 days. Ihis lag results in a lossof nearly half the value of expected transfers in
real terms for the state and local public sector. The loss to the private providers is substantiallyless.
Further, in 1989,private providers were entitled to an upwardadjustmentbased on the consumer price
index of their entitlements. Similartreatment to the public sector was denied.
In conclusion,SUDS represents one of the better conditional transfer programs currently
in place yet substantial further improvementsin its design are possible to further its objectives.
Education:Asdescribedearlier,throughtheConvenioUnico,federalgovernmentascertains
the needs of state and localgovernmentsfor the finance of primaryeducation in Brazil as well as makes
in-kindtransfers primarilyin the form of school lunchesand textbooks. Through this convenio, federal
government attempts to reshape educational spending priorities of state and local governments. The
New Constitution sees mnicly an advisoryfunction for the federal government in the field of primary
education. lTus there is no longer anyjustification for this convenio. Further, primaryeducation is
primarilya local functionwith very little if any spilloversbeyond the boundaries of area providingthe
service. Thus it isbest to givelocal governmentscompleteautonomyin the provisionand financeof such
a service.
In summary,whilesome of the individualprograms have a number of desirable features,
overali the systemof conditionaltransfers in Brazilis in need of majorreform. These options are taken
up in the next section.
2.5
ReformOptions
This section outlines reform options based on some fundamental flaws of the existing
structure identified in earlier sections. Altemative strategies for the reformof the revenue sharing and
conditionaltransfer programs are outlined below.
71
2.51
Revenue Sharing
Existing tax assignment and revenue sharing system severely constrains the federal
government while at the same time it givesmunicipalitiesalmost a free ride. The federal govermment
nowcommandsonly 31.5%of final dispisition of revenues as opposed to 45.5% for state governments
and 23.5% for municipalities(see Table 7). Policyemphasison trade liberalization,export promotion
and international competitivenessfurther limits federal government choices in exploitingits exclusive
bases. Tbis suggeststhat the federal governmrentshould withdrawfrom involvementin local functions.
Further in subjectsjointly shared with state governmentsit must stay in policydevelopment arena and
program development and administration be left to the states themselves. Specific comments on
individualprograms follow:
States Participation Fund (FPE): It is suggested that the FPE may simplybe used as a
mechanismfor distnbution of revenuesbyoriginonlyand equalizationand other objectivesbe addressed
through separate and distinct programs designedfor those purposesonly. If this view is accepted, then
the [CMScouldbe administeredby the federal gover-ment on behalf of states and revenues returned
byorigin. Similarly,revenues currently in the FPE pool could be returned to states in proportion of the
revenues raised from their territories.
MunicipalParticipationFund (FPM): Direct federal transfersto municipalitiesdo not satisfy
any of the economic criteria mentioned earlier and on the other hand provide dis-incentivesfor
municipalitiesto exploitownrevenue sources. Thus it issuggestedthat the FPM be disbanded. Instead,
states be encouraged to strengthen their unconditionaltransfers programto municipalities. States are
in a better position than the federal government to monitor the fiscalpositions of their municipalities
and provide appropriate assistance. With the rural property tax (ITR) being returned to states and
higher levels of transfers from the federal level, states would be in a better position to provide this
assistancethan currently. States transfers to municipallevelscouldbe based on a formula similarto the
FPM but which incorporates per capita municipalfiscal capacity as an important factor and further
incorporates a basic per capita grant into the formula.
72
2.52
NegotiatedTransfers
The system of negotiated transfers as it stands today needs to be completely revamped.
These may be replaced by a system of selective (specific purpose) non-matching (block) per capita
grants. Such grants will not interfere with the fiscal autonomy of state governments, willencourage
innovation by individualgovernments and will help bridge the fiscal gap. Federal objectives will be
fulfilledby making these grants conditional on achievingcertain objectivelyverifiable criteria relating
to minimumstandards and access. Such grants wouldbe particularlysuitable for health and education
financing.Through these grants the federalgovernment couldinducestates to providecertain minimum
standards of serviceswhilegivingspecial accessto the needy but poorer segmentsof the populations.
Since there is no discernible differences in federal vs state priorities in these areas, project and/or
matchinggrantswouldsimplycreateadministrativeinefficiencieswithouthavinganybehaviouralimpacts
in the desireddirection. Federal direct participationin municipalprojectsmaybe restrictedto technical
and financialassistancefor major projects such as masstransit systemsin large cities.
2.53
Equalization Program
Finally, to deal with interstate differentials in fiscal capacity,an over-arching program of
equalization transfers be instituted to be administered by the Federal government on behalf of the
Councilof States. The programwouldbe financedby applyingnegativeand positiveentitlements based
on a formula to the monies availablefor distnbution through the newly constituted FPE Thus final
dispositionof revenues to each state will be based on revenues available to that state based on the
derivationprincipleplusa positiveor a negativeentitlement based on an equalization adjustment. One
possiblestandard of equalization for this purpose could be the per capita national average yield from
sourcesto which state and localgovernmentshave direct or indirect access. More specifically,consider
the arithmeticmean of allstates as the standardof equalizationand that all state and local taxbases are
to included in the calculations. These include:
Shared Taxes (partial inclusionbased on percentage share of State-Municipalsector):
Income tax
73
Payrolltax
Taxon industrialproducts
Hydroelectricity
tax
MineralProductsTax
StateTaxes:
GeneralValue-addedTax (ICMS)
Inheritanceandgifttaxes
Motor VehicleRegistrationTax (IPVA)
SupplementaryCapitalGainsTax
MunicipalTaxes:
Servicestax(ISS)
Urban PropertyTax(IPTU)
FuelsTax(IVVCLG)
Propertytransfers(ITBI)
FrontageTax
Notethat thedataon taxbasesforsharedtaxesandstatetaxesiscurrentlymaintainedbythe
federal and state governmentsbut hardlyever analyzedfor effective utilization. The proposed
equalizationprogramwillencourageuse of suchdatain taxpolicyanalyses.The dataon munnicipal
tax
baseswouldinitiallycreate problemsof comparisonand thereforewouldrequireadjustmentfactorsto
be appliedbasedon samplevalues- a traditionfollowedin Canada.An attractivestrategyinthisregard
maybe to attemptequalizationin the firstfiveyearsof theprogrambasedon statelevelrevenuesources
onlyand later phase-inmunicipalrevenuebasesas andwhencomparabledataon municipaltaxbases
becomesavailable.
Givena decisionon the standardandthetaxbasesto be includedisconsistentwiththe above
discussion,an equalizationentitlementfor a state sayx for revenuesourcei couldbe determinedas
follows:
74
Ez : (POP)X
L (PCTB)na x
ti
- {(PCTB)x
x
where
x
t
na
}
E = Equalizationentitlement of state x from revenue
source i.
POP = Population
PCT'B = Per capita tax base of revenue source i
t = National average tax rate of revenue source i.
subscript na = national average
Subscript x = state x.
The equalizationentitlement for a state from a particular revenue source couldbe negative,
positiveor zero. These figuresthen wouldhaveto be summedup for all revenue sources consideredfor
equalization and the overall sum wouldindicate whether a state would receive a positiveor a negative
entitlement from the interstate revenue sharing pool. Note that the application of agreed upon
equalizationstandard to existingtax bases wilibe determiningboth the total level of funding available
for equalizationpurposes as welias state entitlements. Thus the proposed formula makesequalization
explicitand transparent in an objective manner. It will foster a greater sense of participation in the
federation by member units especiallyhave-not states.
Recapitulating policyreform proposed above have three elements:
namelytax sharing arrangements based on origin principle,conditional per capita block federal-state
grants with federallyspecifiedminimumstandards as the condition for such grants and an equalization
program to raise the fiscalcapacityof have-not states to a certain specifiedstandard.
75
2.6
State-Municipal Transfers In Brazil
Thefollowingsectionsreviewtaxsharingandstate-municipal
conditionaltransfersin BraziL
A broad overviewof these arrangements for the country as a whole is presented while drawingupon
specificexamplesfromthe Statesof Para andParana.
2.61
State-Municipal RevenueSharing
EarliersectionsofthispaperelaboratedupontheimportanceofFederaltransfersasasource
ofmunicipalrevenueanddrewimplications
ofthisfor municipalfiscalmanagement.Asecondimportant
sourceof municipalrevenuesin Brazilisthe constitutionally
mandatedstate-municipal
revenuesharing
arrangements.Thesetransfersconstituteone-thirdof municipalrevenuesin Brazil(31.6%in 1987,see
Table22). It isremarkablethat the municipalities
of somestatesin Brazilraiseas littleas 2% of total
revenuesfrom own sources(see 1987figuresfor Maranhaoin Table 23). Mechanismsfor these
arrangementshavebeen specifiedinthe regulationsdraftedbythe FederalParliament The regulations
providespecificsof the formulaaswellas timingfor the releaseof funds. Mostrecent regulationsas
givenin Projeto de lei Complementarno.177(1989)are presentedin Box3. This lawspecifiesthat
municipalsharesof federalandstate transfersshouldbe immediately
depositedin the joint accountof
all municipalities.Further,individualmunicipalaccountsshouldbe creditedno later than the second
workingdayof eachweek for allrevenuesreceivedin the previousweel.
Box3 showsthat a highlytransparentsystemof transfershas been institutedby Federalregulations.
Distributionof taxtransfersforthe mostpartfollowstheoriginprinciple.ICMSrevenuesaredistnbuted
by a formulawhichmandatesthat at least 75 percentof suchrevenuesto municipalgovernmentsbe
allocatedbyvalue-added.SinceICMSisa value-addedtypetax,thisclearlyrecognizesthe originas the
guidingprinciple in the distribution of these transfers. Followingthis principle, wide divergence of
municipaltransfers in per capita terms by state is obtained as shown in Tables 22 & 23. A smallweight
is given in the formula to other factors which the individual states may consider important in the
distribution of these monies in their jurisdictions.
Table22
RECEIVEDBY BRAZILIANMUNICIPALITIES
1987 - STATETAX TRANSFERS
(Values in Current NCzSThousands)
Federal
Unit
- CURRENT
STATETAX TRANSFERS
value per capita X of total
- CAPITAL
STATETAX TRANSFERS
valu, per capita X of total
0.23X
601
31
785
41
1,792
0.28
0.15
0.o3
0.28
0.17
0.18
0.22
0.5a
0.03o
0.6sx
0.03X
1.49X
0
0
59s
0
0
7
602
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara'
R GrandeNorte
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
802
414
1,776
547
709
8,176
948
522
5,119
13,660
0.06
0.16
0.29
0.25
0.23
0.45
0.41
0.39
0.47
0.33
0.25X
0.34X
1.47X
0.46X
0.69X
2.63X
0.7sx
0.43x
4.29x
11.24X
MinasCerals
EspiritoSanto
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
11,935
2,001
11,988
60,489
76,413
0.79
0.84
0.90
1.63
1.24
9.9ox
1.6ex
9.94X
41.87X
63.38X
37
702
1,129
Parana
SantaCatarina
Sul
R Crande
SOUTH
7,749
4,887
9,874
22,480
0.91
1.14
1.13
1.04
6.43X
4.01!
8.19x
18.82X
U GrossoSul
Mato Crosao
Goias
1,882
1,513
2,977
1.12
0.96
0.64
DistritoFederal
CENTERWEST
6,372
120,697
277
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Para
Amapa
NORTH
67
BRAZIL
Source:
UINIFAZ/SEF
O0.6x
STATETAX TRANSFERS,
- TOTAL X OF WMNICI. RWSS
STATETAX TRANSFERS
REVENUES
value per capita X of total
277
67
1,196
31
786
48
2,394
0.28
0.15
0.65
0.28
0.17
0.21
0.29
0.23x
0.06x
0.97x
0.0a!
0.64X
0.04!
1.95!
18.26X
6.26X
30.20X
8.49!
13.92X
9.27X
18.28X
0.06
0.17
0.29
0.26
0.23
0.46
0.41
0.39
0.47
0.34
0.28x
0.34X
1.46X
0.46X
0.658
2.60X
0.77X
0.43x
4.26X
11.14X
6.64X
10.13X
17.13X
12.53X
14.25X
26.28x
23.14!
14.5oX
28.64x
19.11x
0.32
27.39X
0.03
0.07
0.32X
27.72x
12
2
20
21
1
16
0
0
s0
122
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.01
0.00
0.00
0.66x
0.09X
0.92X
0.97X
0.05x
0.74x
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00!
2.30X
5.62X
314
416
1,796
588
710
8,191
948
522
5,219
13,682
376
0.02
0.00
0.02
0.02
17.27X
o.69x
1.70X
32.32X
51.98x
12,310
2,016
12,026
51,191
77,542
0.82
0.85
0.91
1.65
1.26
10.03X
1.64X
9.79X
41.70X
63.1ex
33.09x
32.42X
30.08x
37.89!
35.49X
167
23
26
216
0.02
0.01
0.00
0.01
7.69X
1.06x
1.20X
9.94X
7,916
4,860
9,900
22,676
0.93
1.16
1.13
1.05
6.46X
3.9ex
8.06x
18.47X
31.77X
36.30x
41.88X
36.61x
1.56%
1.25X
2.47X
2
101
0
0.00
0.06
0.00
0.09X
4.65X
o.ooX
1,884
1,614
2,977
1.13
1.02
0.64
1.53X
1.31X
2.42X
33.93x
24.9!x
26.45X
0.67
6.28x
103
0.01
4.74X
6,475
0.68
5.27X
27.82x
0.85
100.OOX
2,172
0.02
100.0OX
122,769
0.87
100.OOX
81.61x
1S
O.Oi
1987
^
Table 23
OWNREVENUES
ANDTOTALEXPENDITURES
OF BRAZIUN WIM
NCI-ALITIES
(Values In Current NCz8Thousands)
Federal
Unit
GROSS
REVENUES
Voluo per capita X of tOtsl
TOTALFED. ANDSTATETRANSFERS
value per capita X of total
value
034 REVENlIES
per capita X of total
TOTALEXPENDITLURES
Volue per capita X of total
Rondonia
Acre
AMaSonS
Roraima
Para
Amps
NORTH
1,704
910
3,960
86
6,689
Si8
18,096
1.74
2.38
2.15
.83
1.23
2.23
1.61
0. 44
0.23x
1.02X
0.09X
1.453
0.13X
8.373
1,847
826
8,348
821
4,40a
428
10,672
1.87
2.14
1.82
2.93
0.96
1.84
1.31
0.83
0.33x
1.323
0.183
1.74X
0.17X
4.21X
357
8s
612
44
1,286
90
2,424
0.as
0.22
0.33
0.40
0.27
0.39
0.80
0.26X
o.o0s
0.45X
0.083
0.92x
0.07X
1.79%
1,765
899
4,300
400
5,836
656
18,383
1.80
2.83
2.33
8.65
1.17
2.82
1.64
0.44X
0.22X
1.07X
0.10X
1.8a3
0.163
8.32x
Maranhao
Piaui
Coors,
R Grands Nor
Paraiba
1.14
1.63
1.71
2.07
1.61
1.74
1.78
2.68
1.99
1.77
1.433
1.061
2.70X
1.17X
1.28x
3.183
Alagoas
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
5,565
4,107
10,486
4,533
4,984
12,144
4,089
8,601
22,073
71,582
0.933
5.68x
18.43X
5,429
3,754
7,615
3,528
4,879
9,218
3,278
2,773
14,944
54,916
1.12
1.49
1.24
1.81
1.4).
1.32
1.42
2.06
1.35
1.86
2.143
1.48X
8.013
1.393
1.73
3.643
1.293
1.09X
5.90X
21.68X
136
853
2,871
1,007
606
2,926
811
828
7,129
1e,ee6
0.03
0.14
0.47
0.46
0.20
0.42
0.36
0.62
0.64
0.41
0.103
0.263
2.18%
0.75X
0.46X
2.17X
0.60X
0.61x
6.28x
12.843
5,135
3,940
10,623
4,168
4,795
11,760
3,827
8,484
21,464
69,194
1.06
1.56
1.74
1.90
1.54
1.68
1.66
2.59
1.94
1.71
1.273
0.9ex
2.638
1.033
1.19X
2.913
0.953
0.863
6.32%
17.153
Minas Gerais
Espirito San
Rio de Janel
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
87,202
6,219
89,973
135,090
218,484
2.46
2.61
3.01
4.37
3.54
9.583
1.60%
10.29X
34.78x
S6.25X
28,299
4,147
16,696
74,207
123,849
1.87
1.74
1.26
2.40
2.00
11.17X
1.64X
6.593
29.29x
48.69X
8,903
2,072
23,277
e0,883
96,136
0.69
0.87
1.75
1.97
1.54
6.659
1.53X
17.24X
45.083
70.45X
38,259
6,865
45,181
148,339
236,444
2.63
2.80
3.41
4.73
3.83
9.48X Z'
1.65X
11.20%
36.27X
58.813
Parana
Santa Catari
R Grande Sul
SOUTH
24,917
18,388
23,637
1,942
2.92
8.16
2.70
2.88
6.42X
3.45X
6.09o
15.95x
17,708
10,911
17,859
46,478
2.08
2.58
2.04
2.18
6.99x
4.813
7.06X
18.353
7,209
2,477
5,778
15,464
0.86
0.58
0.66
0.72
5.34x
1.833
4.283
11.45S
23,662
13,131
23,348
60,141
2.77
3.10
2.67
2.80
5.86x
3.25%
5.79X
14.91X
M Grosso Sul
Mato Gronso
5,568
6,488
11,257
8.32
4.09
2.48
1.43X
1.67X
2.90%
4,006
4,710
9,205
2.39
2.98
1.98
1.58x
1.8ex
8.63x
1,547
1,758
2,052
0.92
1.11
0.44
1.15X
1.303
1.523
6,165
6,966
11,157
3.68
4.41
2.41
1.533
1.73%
2.77X
28,278
2.43
5.99%
17,921
1.87
7.07X
5,857
0.66
8.97x
24,288
2.54
8.023
2.75
100.00%
258,386
1.79
100.00X
135,048
0.95
100.00%
408,450
2.85
lOO.OO0
Pornmbuco
Golas
Distrito Fod
CENTER
WEST
BRAZIL
Source:
888,a32
MINIFAZ/SEF
1.0SX
Table 23 (Continuation)
Federal
OWN REVENUES/EXPENDITURES
Uit
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roralsa
Par*
Amapa
NCRTH
20.23X
9.46X
14.23X
11.00X
23.06X
13.72X
18.11l
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceare'
R Grande Norte
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
2.66X
8.96X
27.03X
24.17X
12.63X
24.898X
21.19X
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
23.77X
83.21X
24.09%
MinasCorals
Espirito
Santo
Rio de Janeiro
SaoPaulo
23.27%
31.09%
61.62X
41.60X
SOUTHEAST
40.24X
Parana
Santa Catarina
R Orand.Sul
SOUTH
30.47X
18.86X
24.76X
26.71X
M Grosso Sul
25.09%
26.24%
18.39X
Mato Crosso
Goias
DistritoFederal
CENTERWEST
22.06X
BRAZIL
33.47X
Source:
UINIFAZ/SEF
00
79
BOX 3
STATE
Revenue Source
nd Distribution
1
MUNICIPALREVENUE SHARING IN BRAZIL
-
Distribution Crit.,ria
State Value Added Tax
Mlv .25
*
ICMS
(ICAIS)
'V,)*
p
+ ( other factors)
(1-p)|
VS
Sl,ares: where:
State 0.75
Ml
Mtuni. 0.25
VA = Value Added (average of past two years)
Funds allocated to municipality I
=
value of outflow of goods
+ value of services rendered within municipality
- value of inflow of goods.
p = proportion of funds distributed by values added component
The following range for p is specified by law (L.C. no. 177)
.75 s p s 1.
Other factors = Each state is given complete discretion over
specific other factors to be included in the formula.
x lotor Vehicle Registration
Tax
(IPVA)
Shares: State
by origin.
Immediate credit of municipality upon coilection.
0.50; Munic. 0.50
c. 10% of Federal IPI
(Pass-through revenues)
Shares:
State: 0.75
Munic. 0.25
- Returned by State Trea-ury
- Same as ICMS
Note: This is intended to provide financial compensation to states
for loss of ICMS revenues on account of exports.
'Source: Projeto de Lel Complementar No. 177
80
The State of Para uses population(7% weight)area (2% weight),and fiscaleffort (9%
factors.In addition,it distributes7% of the fundin equalamountsper municipality
weight)as specidal
(see Box4). The Stateof Paranausesproportionof populationin ruralareas,populationand area as
specialneed factors.
2.62
Conditional Tmusfers
are not
detailsneededfor ananalysisofstateconditionaltransfersto municipalities
Varmous
avilable. Anecdotalevidencesuggeststhat moststateshave a largenumberof conveniosusuallyin
thousandsto provideprojectassistance.Further that mostof these projectgrantsare motivatedby
politicalconsiderationsratherthan anysound(or even unsound)economicanalysis.
2.63
AmEvaluationand PolicyRecommeniations
The existingrevenuesharingsystemprimarilyservesto return ICMSrevenuesbyorigin.
25%of totalrevenuesare intendedto be consistentwithfiscal edsof individualmunicipalities.It is
in this area that formuladesignsof individualstatesneed re-examination.Considerthe stateof Para,
75%of the fundsvarydirectlyby value-added,9% by ratioof municipalrevenuesto state revenues.
Thusfor84* of the fundsr -nicipalitieswith aboveaveragefiscalcapacitybut not necessarilyhaving
higherfiscaleffortstand to gainmorethan proportionately.
sizedeterminedbyrelativepopulation
Another9% are distributedbytakinginto accountmunicipality
ani area. Finally,the remaining7% are allocatedequallyamongallmunicipalities.Fiscalequalization
byvaryinga proportionof fundsinverselywithfiscalcapacity( taxbasesfor municipalsources)is not
re oed in this formula. in fact municipaltaxbaseshardlyenter into the formula. Eventhe fiscal
onlywithoutanydue
effortcompensationispoorlydesignedandservesto benefitlargermunicipalities
rgurd fr their fiscaleffort.
existingformulacan be improvedby; (1) incorporatingan explicitequalization
mhe
to
componentin the formulabasedon a ratioof per capitaaveragefiscalcapacityof all municipalities
81
BOX 4
MUNICIPALITIESSHARE OF ICMS
STATE OF PARA
MunicipalitiesParticipationCoefficient:1
(
II
V.ADg
I
V.ADE
75
POPI
+ 7
POPE
E
Al
)+
E
+ 9
2
AE
E
RTI \
_
RTE
where:
I = Municipality'si participationcoefficient
,.V.AD
V,AD
=
)
V.ADE
,POP
)
_-
POPE
=
Ratio of Municipality'sValue Added and State's
Value Added.
Ratio of Municipality'sand State's Population.
E
(
RT
IT ) =
Ratio of Municipality'sand State's Tax Receipts
E
N
=
Number of Municipalitiesin the State.
A = Area
Note:
The Municipality's Value Added Is given by the sum of Its
Aggregate Value in the two years that preceded the computationof
the coefficient:
V.AD =
I
where:
V.A
+
1,t-1
V.A
I,t
82
V.A
=
Aggregate Value of MunicipalityI at year t.
Aggregate Value Formula:
VA
I+C+P.P
+
( ICMRET + EST
)
+
( HFG+CFO+COOP
)
where:
IC = Difference between in-flow and out-flow OI goods (Industry
and Commerce).
P.P = Primary production.
ICMRET= ICM withheld
EST = estimates of ICM revenues computed by the regional bureaus
of the state secretaryof Finance.
CFP = (Company for the Financing of Production). Value of goods
purchased.
COOP = value of the comme-ce undertakenby cooperatives.
1
Source : Governo do Estado do Para - Secretaria de Estado da
Fazenda. ICM dos Municipios - Manual da Cota Parte 1989
83
per capita fiscalcapacityof municipalityi in the formula and distributinga fixedpercentage of fundsby
this factor and; (2) the current fiscaleffort indexshould be replaced by the followingmeasure:
FiscalEffortComponent= (percapitaown revenues/percapitataxbase)dividedby(average
per capita own revenues of all municipalities/average per capita tax base for all municipalities). Shah
(1983)specifiesaltemative approaches to incorporatingthese factorsin a formula. The incorporation
of fiscalequalizationand fiscaleffort components into the formula for state-municipalrevenue sharing
systemwill providespecial compensationfor fiscalneed and fiscaleffort but at the same time willhelp
states better monitoring of the fiscalhealth of municipalgovernmentsin their jurisdictions.
Conditionaltransfer programsare also in need of restructuring. Only a handfulof programs
with explicit objectives say e.g. spillovercompensation or ensuring certain minimumtransportation
standards etc. need to be developed and then their design should reflect their objectives. For example,
a transportation program which intends to compensate a municipalityfor the use of its roads by nonresidents would be a matchingprogramwith matchingdetermined by the spilloverfactor. A program
to upgrade transportation servicesto certain minimumstandards wouldbe a blockgrant program with
adherence to the specified standards as a pre-condition for receipt of funds. Followingthis approach,
the Brazilianstates couldreduce their conditionalprogramsto a dozen or less programfrom the current
count of several thousands. Such a design will enable the higher level government to achieve its
objectives in a cost-effectivemanner without distorting local priorities. Given the almost universal
criticismof existingconditionaltransfers in Brazil,the reform of these arrangementsshould be a matter
of high priority for ail levelsof governments.
84
3.0
SUMMARYAND POLICYRECOMMENDATIONS
In this chapter, the major results of previous chapters are brought together to provide an
overviewof the existingstate of riscalfederalismin Braziland the directionsfor change advocatedin this
paper. For this purpose, first the tax and expenditure assignment issues are reviewed and their
implicationsfor horizontal and verticalfiscalbalance are examined. Second, federal transfers to states
and municipalitiesare briefly described and analyzed. Third, state transfers to municipalities are
examined. Fourth, implicationsof the above analyses as to the potential directions for reform are
summarized.Finally,the implicationsof the reformproposals for efficiencyand equityof publicservice
provisionand macroeconomicmanagement are addressed.
3.1
The Assignment Issues
The 1988Constitution has made a reasonablyclear assignmentof publicservice provision
and revenue raisingresponsibilitiesto federal,state and municipallevelsin Brazil. Purely localfunctions
such as intracitytransport, zoning,preventivehealth care and elementary education has been assigned
to the municipallevel exclusively.The responsibilityfor publicservicesthat are national in scope such
as defense and foreign affairsetc. has been entrusted to the federal level and the remainingfunctions
are designated as shared responsibilitiesof the federal and state levels with the federal government
setting the norms and the state government responsiblefor the deliveryof services. Unfortunately, the
de facto assignmentor the practice in Brazil is at substantial variancewith the de jure assignmentand
the federal government's direct involvementin purely local functionsis quite pervasive.
The constitutional taxassignmenthas created some difficultiesas welL These are primarily
in the area of sales taxes. Al three levels have partially overlapping responsibilitiesin tax policy
development and administrationfor value-addedtype taxes. The federal government is responsiblefor
a manufacturerlevelsales taxcalledbythe name of IndustrialProduct Tax (IPI). The municipalitiescan
levy a value-added tax on services (ISS). The states have the mandite of a general value-added tax
whosebase encompassesIPI and ISS. This multiplicityin administrationraises the administrationand
B5
compliancecostsof these taxes. Further, Brazilis the onlycountryin the worldwith a state level general
value-addedtax. This has the potential of evolvinginto a tax with multiple rates on non-uniformbases
in the long run. Already inter-state tax crediting issues remain by and large unresolved and are fast
becominga source of major concern for the Councilof States. A second source of difficultyconcerns
the assignmentof the rural property tax. This tax is more suitable for administrationat the state-local
level but is currently being administeredat the federal level.
3.2
Issues in Intergovernmental Transfers
The federal transfers to state and municipalitiesare based either on revenue sharing
arrangementsor specificpurpose transfers. Revenue sharingmechanismsare welldefind One of the
main instruments for federal-state revenue sharing is the State Participation Fund. The Federal
Gcvernment transfers a pre-specified share of certain federal taxesto this pool. The Councilof States
then determinesstate shares based on a formulathat incorporatespopulation and per capita income as
its maincomponents. A proposal currently under discussionwould extend this list of components to
include land area, interstate trade auidfical effort factnrs. In recent years formuladetermined shares
havebeen found unacceptableto the Counciland therefore, it had to resort to a compromiseallocation
based on an arbitrary adjustment to formula shares. The principal merits of the this program are the
consistencyof its designwith transparency, predi^tabilityand local autonony objectives. The program
further payssome attention to fiscalequalizationobjectives.The programnevertheless has manydesign
flawswhich inhibit achievementof its objectives. For example,state per capita income is included as
a measure of fiscalcapacity. It is an imperfect guide to the abilityof a state government to raise taxes
as it isconceivablethat a significantproportion of income mayaccrue to non-resident ownersof factors
of production. Further only a small proportion of to.a state revenues are raised from income taxes
alone. This measure is alsosubject to implementationdifficultiesin Brazil. Estimates of state per capita
income are subject to significanterrors and are availablewith a long lag. For example,currently only
1980estimatesare available. These difficultiessignificantlydiminishthe usefulnessof per capitaincome
for use in a program of fundamental importance in federal-state fiscal relations. The FPE further
86
combinesdiverse and sometimes conflictingobjectivessuch as revenue sharing and riscalequalization
at the state level into a singleformula in a multiplicativemanner and therefore significantlyfallsshort
on individualobjectives.The programis redistributivein its overall impactbut consistencyof individual
state shareswith the formulaobjectivesis not assuredand states withsimilarfiscalcapacityreceivewidely
different entitlements. Sincethe formulalacksan expiicitequalizationstandard, it also failsto address
regional equity objectives in a satisfactorymanner. These failingsexplains why the Councilof States
findsit easier to strike a politicalcompromiserather than accept the formula results.
The program to channel federal revenue sharing monies to municipalities is called the
MunicipalParticipationFund (FPM). This programconsidersmunicipalpopulation and state per capita
income in the determination of shares of individual municipalities. This program has two major
drawbacks. First, the formula used for this program fails to incorporate differential fiscalcapacityof
the Brazilianmunicipalitiesin a meaningfulwayand therefore formula application does not result in a
fair and equitable distributionof fundsamong individualmunicipalities.As there is no local income tax
in Brazil(and none iscalled for due to capitaland labour mobility),per capita income is a poor indicator
of a local government's abilityto raise revenues. Further, in each state rich municipalitiescoexistwith
poor municipalitiesbut state per capita income, by definition,would fail to make a distinctionbetween
the twoclasses. Second, this program,is observedto discouragelocalfiscaleffort by meetingnearlytwothird of municipal revenue requirements from the federal revenue sources. Such overwhelming
dependence of municipalgovernmentson outside revenuescreates a dichotomybetween spending and
revenue raisingdecisionsand contnbutes to reduced financialaccountabilityat the local level.
Specific purpose transfers support important policy objectives in a federation. These
objectivesinclude:benefit spillovercompensation;bridgingfiscalgap; ensuring minimumstandards of
publicservicesacross the nation; fulfilLmentof the redistr.:butivefunction of the federal government;
creation of a common internal market; reduction in net fiscal benefits across jurisdictions and
achievementof economicstabilizationobjectives. Grant objectiveswould pre-determine grant design.
The federal and state governments in Brazil have an incrediblylarge number of specific purpose
programs. For manyof these programs,programobjectivesare either not specifiedor specifiedvaguely
and in some instancesreflection upon grant objectivesis done after the release of funds. In more recent
87
years, federal specific purpose transfers have served not as a means of safeguardingfederal objectives
but increasinglyas a vehicle for pork-barrel politics. There are only a handful of programswith some
desirable features. One such programis for unified and decentralizedsystemof health care provision
known as SUDS. Federal financing is provided to achievecertain minimumstandards of health care
acrossthe nation. The intent of the programis for the federal government to specifypoliciesand state
and local governmentsto implement federallymandated programs. In practice, however,the federal
government continues to be heavily involved in program administration as weli and therefore the
decentralizationobjectiveshave as yet not been fullyachieved. In the comingyears, fiscalpressuresof
the new fiscalarrangements on the federal government are also likelyto constrain the federal funding
for the SUDS. Finally,the existingprogram gives preferential treatment to private contractors over
state and local government agencies.
Finally,State-municipaltransfers have two important components. One such component
is the constitutionallymandated state-municipal revenue sharing arrangementsor state-municipaltax
transfers. The distribi'tionof such transfers for the most part followsthe originprinciple. 75% of state
value-addedtax (ICMS) revenuesare distributed in proportion to the value added in each municipality
and for the remaining25% states have been givendiscretion in incorporatingfiscalneed factorsas they
see fit. Population and area are the two most commonlyused need factors. Somestates have also used
fiscaleffort as a special factor. A major criticismof the existingarrangementsis that fiscalequalization
by varyinga proportion of funds inverselywith fiscalcapacity(tax bases for municipalsources) is not
recognized in the formulae currently in vogue. In fact, municipal tax bases hardly enter into any
consideration. Even the fiscaleffort component is usuallypoorly designedand serves to benefit larger
municipalitiesonly-iithout any due regard for their fiscaleffort. A second component of state transfers
to municipalitiesis specific purpose or negotiated transfers. Most states have a large number of
conveniosusuallyin thousands to provideproject assistance. Sheer numbers of these transfers defy any
analysis.Anecdotal evidencesuggeststhat politicalconsiderationsdominate in the distnbution of grant
funds.
88
3.3
Implicatons of ExistIngArragements
This assessmentof existingstructure of fiscalrelations has identifieda numberof significant
failings. Most prominent of these are:
a.
Federal and state governments are involved in some purely local functions in an
uncoordinated fashion;
b.
Sales taxesadministrationbythe three levelsresults in someduplicationand confusion;
c.
The administration of the general value added tax at the state level creates yet
unresolved issuesin tax creditingon interstate trade;
d.
The FPE and FPM fail to distribute revenues in a fair and an equitable manner;
e.
Conditional transfers are arbitrary and primarilydriven by politcal considerations.
Various programs work at cross purposes and therefore hamper successin achieving
major objectives. Highlysubjective nature of these transfers may even be sending
wrongsignalsto lower levelsof government regarding fiscalmanagement. For if it is
alright for the federal government to follow imprudent policies then lower level
governmentsalso would not feel the need for fiscalrestraint. ; and
f.
The net impactof expenditureand tax assignmentand revenue sharingmeasureshave
been to severelyconstrain the federal government's abilityto fulfillits mandate as a
national government while generous availabilityof funds to municipalgovernments
without any concomitant increase in their responsibilitiescreate 3trong incentivesfor
fiscalmismanagement. There is someevidenceto suggestthat munic.palgovernments
are,shyingaway(om raisingrevenuesfrom property taxesand user charges. Ihe state
governmentsare also fecinga financialsqueeze in the short run but giventheir access
to thevalue addedtax-a dynamicsource of revenues,their fiscalproblemsare expected
to be short lived. Thus the existing fiscalarrangements have been instrumental in
creating a vertical imbalancein the nation. The problem for the federal government
is structural in nature. Its revenue means significantlyfail short of its expenditure
needs. Fiscalimbalanceforstate governments,on the other hand, is likelyto disappear
89
with increase in revenues from the ICMS and restraints in expenditures. Fiscal
imbalance for the municipalgovernments is of the reverse nature. Their current
revenue means if fullyexploited substantiallyexceed their expenditure needs.
In conclusion,manyaspectsof the existingarrangementscontribute to a fiscalmalaisein the
countryand therefore, an urgentneed for reformcan hardlybe over-emphasiz-.d.The followingsections
presents some reform options.
3.4
Proposals for Reform
The followingreform options are suggested to deal with the shortcomingsof the existing
arrangements identified earlier.
Towards an Economic Constitution: Earlier analysissuggested that the Constitutional
assignment in Brazil is broadly consistent with economic principles. The followingsuggestions, if
implemented,willmove Brazil a step closer to havingan economicconstitution.
i.
Immediate tumback of direct federal involvementin functionsof purely local nature
such as primaryand secondaryeducation, urban grading,bridges,zoningetc. Further,
administrationof health and education as stipulated in the Constitution should be a
state responsibility.Therefore, the roles of federal ministriesof health and education
be reduced to setting minimumstandards and providing per capita block grants to
induce compliance.
ii.
Direct federal role in municipal finance and administration need to be severely
restrained.
iin.
he three sales taxes,IPI, ICMS and ISS be combinedinto one taxto be administered
by the federal govermmenton behalf of state and local governments. The proceec.
from the tax then be shared by the three levels in proportion to their current intake
from this source.
iv.
The administrationof the rural property tax be turned over to the state level.
v.
A restructuring of revenue sharing and transfer programs as outlined below.
s
v
_
90
Restructuring Proposals for Federal Transfcrs to States:
i.
No change in the source of fundsfor the State Participation Fund is proposed. Initial
allocationsfrom this Fund wouldbe based simplyon the derivation principleand final
allocationsto be determined by equalizationadjustments discussedin the following.
ii.
It is proposed that the existingsystemof negotiated transfers be completelyrevamped.
These transfersmaybe replacedbya systemof specificpurpose blockper capitagrants.
Thesegrantswillbeconditionalonmeetingfederallyspecifiedandobjectivelyverifiable
criteria relating to minimumstandards and access.
iii.
It is proposed that an equalization program be instituted to deal with inters'4ae
differentialsin fiscalcapacity.This programwouldbe financedby applyingpositiveand
nepative entitlements based on a formula to the monies available for distribution
through the FPEbased on the originprinciple.The representative taxsystemapproach
as outlined earlier maybe used to determine state entitlements.
Restructuring Proposals for Transfers to Municipalities
i.
It is proposed that federal unconditional transfers to municipalitiesbe completely
eliminated. To this end, the Municipal ParticipationFund be disbandedand states be
encouragedtostrengthen theirunconditionaltransfersprogramstoownmunicipalities.
Thus the FPM could be reconstituted at the state level. State transfers to municipal
levelson account of a restructured FPM would be based on a formula similar to the
FPM but which incorporatesper capita municipalfiscalcapacityas an important factor
and further incorporates a basicper capita grant and a fiscaleffort component
ii.
State specificpurpose transfers be consolidatedinto a handfulof programswith clearly
stated objectivesbased on verifiable indicators.
3.5
Implicationsof Reform Proposals
The restructuring options discussedearlier willsatisfythe followingobjectives.
i
Tax and expenditure assignmentwillbe brought in close conformitywith economic
principlesand thereby enhancing the efficiencyand equity in publicservice provision.
ii.
The proposed equalization programwould foster a sense of greater participationby
member units in the Union. The have-not states wilHrealize a contnbution by the
Union to their uplift and the havestateswillenjoysomesatisfactioninseeingan explicit
recognitionof their contributions for the greater well-beingof the nation as a whole.
Fiscal management goals will also be advanced by this program as it will provide
monitoringof fiscalcapacities of member units. Higher level governmentswould be
in a better position to take correctiveactions for fiscaladjustmentin a iimelyfashion.
iii.
The systemof transferswoud be rationalizedofferingpredictabilitywhilesafeguarding
local autonomy objectives. Long term planning and judicious exploitation of own
revenue bases would be encouraged.
iv.
Finally,structural imbalanceswould be eliminated and remaining imbalancescould
potentially be corrected byown actions byvarious govermnents.
92
APPENDIXA
THE DESIGNOFA FISCALEOUALIZATION
PROGRAM:
ISSUES ANDOPTIONS
An equalizationprogramin additionto safeguardingnationalobjectivesof providingcertain
minimumlevels of public servicesacross the nation can foster a greater sense of participation in the
federation of member states and therefore is often viewedas a glue that holds a federation together.
Economicliterature has long recognizedthat equalizationis justifiedon horizontal equity groundsand
in recent years, that under certain conditions it could promote economic efficiency. Recent
constitutional changesin Brazilsuggest that equalization is a matter of high priority in the country. A
recent World Bank missionhas nevertheless observed that the existingfiscalarrangements fail to deal
adequatelywiththis objective. The followingparagraphsdeal withsome fundamental issuesin designing
an equalizationprogram.
In principle, a properly designed fiscal equalization transfers program would correct
distortionscausedbyfiscallyinducedmigration.Sucha programwouldequalizenet fiscalbenefits across
states and thereby promote economic efficiency. To measure net fiscal benefits reasonable
approximation of costs and benefits of public servicesprovision in various states is essential. ITis
requiresdevelopingmeasuresof differentialrevenue raisingabilitiesand the costsof provisionof public
servicesof the Brazilianstates. Equalizationof net fiscalbenefits couldthen be attempted by adopting
a standard of equalization and establishing the means of financingthese transfers. These and related
issuesof unconditionality;tax effort; stabilizationeffects; and employmentof strategy are discussedin
the followingsubsections.
Measurement of Fiscal Capacitv
The estimationof fiscalcapacity,i.e.,the abilityofgovernmentalunitsto raiserevenues from
their own sources, is difficultboth conceptually and empirically. The alternative measures of fiscal
capacityare unlikelyto show approximatelythe same results. Of a large variety of such measures that
are availablethe two most prominent measuresare discussedbelow.
93
Macro Indicators
Various income or output measuresserve as indicatorsof abilityto bear tax burdens by the
residentsof a state. Among the better knownmeasures are:
(i)
Personal Income: The personal income of a state is the sum of all incomes
receivedby the residentsof a state. It is not a satisfactorymeasureof overall
fiscal capacity as it is a measure of abilityto bear tax burdens but a highly
imperfect and partial measure of abilityto impose them.
(ii)
Personal Disposable Income: Personal disposable income is defined as
personal income less direct taxes. This concept of income shares the
weaknessof personal income as a measure of fiscalcapacity.
(iii)
State Gross Domestic Product: It represents the total value of goods and
servicesproduced withina state. It also is an imperfectguideto the abilityof
a state government to raise taxes as it is conceivable that a significant
proportion of income may accrue to non-resident owners of factors of
production. Evenif these conceptualproblemsare ignored,significanterrors
in esti.natingprovincialgross domestic productin Brazilare encountered to
make the measure unacceptable for an equalizationprogram.
We already noted that the equalizationof net fiscalbenefits acrossstates is required
from the standpointof economicefficiency.The estimationof these net benefits is best done by a
comparativeanalysisof taxingand spendingbehaviorof state and localgovernmentalunits. Various
income concepts do not relate to the taxing practicesof the states but merely indicatewhat they
potentially have available for taxation. Fortunately, a representative taxsystem approach is well
suited for such a task. This approach is discussedbelow.
The Representative Tax System (RTS)
This systemmeasuresthe fscal capacityof a state by the revenue that couldbe raised
in that state if the state governmentemployedall of the standard sourcesat the nationwideaverage
intensity of use.
94
To estimate equalizationentitlementsbasedon a representative taxsystemapproach,
informationon both the taxbases and taxrates for each state is required. For most revenue sources
this informationis usuallyreadilyavailable. Then a decision has to be made as to the standard of
equalizationi.e. whether fiscalcapacityof the have-notstates shouldbe brought up to the median,
arithmaticmean or some other norm based on all states data. As an example,consider arithmatic
mean of all states as a standard. Then equalization entitlement for a state say (x) for resource
source i could be determined as follows:
EL
(POP).
-
where
{(PCTB), x t.)
{(PCTB)5 x t,,.
E' = equalizationentitlement of state from revenue source'.
POP = Population
PCTB' = Per capita tax base of revenue source i.
e = national average tax rate of revenue source i.
subscript na = national average
subscript x = State x
The equalizationentitlement for a state froma particularrevenuesource couldbe negative,positive
or zero. These figureswould then have to be summedup for all revenue sources considered for
equalization and the overall sum would indicate whether a state would receive a positive or a
negativeentitlement from the interstate revenue sharing pooL
It should be noted that the data on tax bases and tax collections required for the
implementationof a RIS are alreadybeingpublishedon a regularbasisby variousdepartments and
agencies of the federal Government. Thus the RTS does not impose any new data requirements
and could be implementedusing the existingdata.
Measurement of Expenditure Needs
Economictheory suggeststhat an ideal equalization transfers program should also
95
take into considerationthe expenditure side of the provincial-localbudgetaryoperations. Many
economists have argued for taking expenditure needs and differential unit costs of provision of
public services into account. Several countries follow this approach. The followingparagraphs
examinethis issue.
We alreadynoted that the casefor equalizationrestson differentialnet fiscalbenefits
acrossstates. These differentials could arise either due to differences in revenue raisingcapacity
and/or due to differences in the cost of provisionof publicservices. Consider two states with the
samerevenue raisingcapacitywherethe residentshave identicaltastes for provincialpublicservices
but the cost of providingthem differsdue to supplyfactors. For example,differences in the degree
of urbanization,population density and age distribution amongstates will have significanteffects
upon the relativecostsof publicservices.The degree of urbanizationcaneffect the costsof salaries
and wages,land, and construction, as well as particular servicessuch as pollution control, public
transit, police and fire protection and the provisionof utilities. Population densitywilleffect the
costs of providingpublic utilities and willalso effect the costs of highways. Age distribution will
influencethe need for school rooms, hospitals,recreational facilitiesetc.
These differential costs are likely to cause substantial variations across the two
jurisdictionsin the level and mixofpublicgoodsprovided,resultingin differentialnet fiscalbenefits.
A strong casefor equalizationcan. therefore, be establishedon both efficiencyand equitygrounds
to compensate for cost differentialsthat giverise to differential net fiscalbenefits.
The fical federalismliterature, ingeneral,treatsdifferentialcostsassynonymouswith
differential needs but it must be noted that some cost differencesmayarisedue to deliberate policy
decisions of the provincial governments and thus do not constitute need. Compensation for
unavoidablecost variations resulting from differences in the costs of inputs and from dissimilar
input-output relationships which might arise because of distance from sources of supply and
geographic features can be justified on equity grounds. Equalizationgrants should offset such
inherent disabilitiesbut shoulddisregardcost differencesdue to differencesin efficiencywithwhich
resources are used. These questions do not pose any special difficultiesfor a regression based
approach to the measurement of expenditure needs.
96
Expenditure need is more difficult to define and derive than a measure of fiscal
apacity.Thedifficultiesinvolvedinmeasuringexpenditureneedaresubstantiallyhigherthan those
encountered in usinga representative taxsystemto measure fiscalcapacity. They include defining
an equalizationstandard,determiningdifferentialcostsdue to differinginput-output relationships,
nature of service areas, composition of population and isolating need/cost differentials due to
differentialtastes or policydecisionsas distinct from inherent cost disabilities. A further concern
would be the susceptibilityof the grant shares based on need factors to strategic behavior on the
part of the recipient states. The experience of Australia, West Germany,Switzerlandwith federal
unconditionaltransfers, of the U.S.with highwaygrants and of the Canadian states with provincialmunicipal transfers, indicates that these concerns can be addressed and expenditure need
incorporated in formula grants in a manner acceptable to both the donor(s) and the recipients.
Some empirical questions are resolved easily. For example, to avoid problems
associated with subjective standards such as 'minimum service levels' or 'reasonable levels of
services',expenditure need could be defined as "the cost of supplyingaverage performance levels
for the exsting mix of provincial- local programs". Relative expenditure needs could then be
determined empiricallyeither using direct imputation methodsor by adopting a simpler approach
usinga representative expenditure system. The latter approach is preferred for its objectivityand
ease of computation. Furthermore, it enables the analyst to derive expenditure need measures
based on actual observed behavior of the provincial-localgovernments under study rather than
basingit on ad hoc value judgements. The relativeweights to be assigned to various need factors
in the representative expendituresystemcouldbe determined byeconometric analysis.This method
requiresspecificationofdeterminants foreachservice categorytobe analyzed.Thesedeterminants
would include relevant fiscalcapacityand publicservicesneed variables. The estInating equation
so specified would then yield quantitative estimates as to the independent influence of each
specified factor in determining the spending level for that category of public service. This
informationcould also be analyzedfurther to determine as to what each state would have actually
spent if it had average fiscalcapacity and average tastes but actual need factors.
Morespecifically,the formulaforequalizationentitlementon accountofexpenditure
97
classificationi for state x could be stated as follows:
EEIX
=
(POP), {(PCSE)I - (PCSE)',,J)
where
EEi, = Equalizataion entitlement on
account of expenditure
classificationi for state x
POP.
=
(PCSE)i, =
Population of state x
Per Capita standardizedexpenditure by state x on expenditure
classification(i). This is the estimatedexpenditurewhicha state
would havespent if it had national average fiscalcapacitybut its
actual need factors.
(PCSE)',,. =
National average per capita standardized expenditure on
expenditureclassificationi. This isthe estimatedexpenditure for
all states based on national averagevaluesof fiscalcapacityand
need factors.
Equalization entitlement on account of a particular expenditure classificationcould be positive,
negativeor zero. These entitlements would have to be summedup for all expenditure categories
considered for equalization.
Overallentitlement of astatebased on a comprehensivesystemofequalizationwould
be determined by summation of its separate entitlements from the Representative Tax System
(RTS) and the Representative Expenditure System (RES). Only the states with positive
entitlementswouldbe eligibleto receivetransfersin equivalentor somefraction of the total amount
(the fraction to be determined by the centre depending upon the availabilityof funds) from the
centre.
A phased approach to a comprehensiveequalization maybe well advised. Initially,
a representative tax systemcouldbe implementedfor a fiveyear period. Then depending upon this
experience a reSresentative expendituresystemcould be brought in to complementthe RTS in the
next fiveyears. A joint Federal - States FiscalArrangementsSub-Committeemaybe instituted to
monitor the working of the systemclosely.
98
The Equalization Standard
Equalization of net fiscal benefits requires that we adopt an explicit standard of
equalization. The specifiedstandard wouldbe the level to whicheach state wouldbe entitled to be
raisedto enable it to providepublicsector net benefits per household comparablewith other states.
Simplicitydictates choosing either the arithmatic mean or the median of the govemmental units
involved as the standard. Arithmatic mean provides a good representation of the data in the
absence of extreme values. In the event that the sample values have wide range, the median or
the arithmaticmean after eliminationof extreme valueswould providea better representation of
the sample. Mean is to be preferred over the median, however, for ease of computation.
Costs and Financing
An ideal fisca; equalization program would be self-financing. The member
governmentsare assessedboth pvsitive and negativeentitlementswhich sum to zero. The federal
government merely acts as conduit for such a policy. If such an interstatal revenue sharing pool in
practicewouldcreate, administrativedifficulties,then the equalizationprogramcould be financed
out of general federal revenueswhich are in part derived from the equalization receivingstates.
Other Considerations
So far the discussionhas focussedon the basicelementsof an equalization program.
Several related aspects of equalizationtransfers are considered in the followingsubsections.
Unconditionaliq
There is a general consensusin the academicliterature that an equalization system
shouldenable stau. governmentsto providea standard bundle of publicservicesif the government
imposesa standard level of taxes on the bases at its disposaL The state governments(or certainly
their citizens)should, however,be permitted to substitute lower rates of taxation for higher level
of services and vice versa. As such the equalization payments should be in the nature of
unconditional grants having only income effects. Service areas in which there appears a good
99
reason to actuallyset minimumnational standards are better handled by conditional grants and
shared cost programs. It should be noted that by raisinga state's fiscalcapacity,the unconditional
equalization grants enable the poor states to more easilyparticipate in the shared cost programs.
Tax Effort
Incorporating taxeffort into the formula for determiningequalizationwouldinNolve
makingthe equalizationentitlement a functionof the ratio of actualtax collectionsin a state to its
own tax base. Potentially non-recipient states maywishto see such a factor incorporated into the
program to prevent states with a positive fiscaldeficiencyin an area from collectingequalization
paymentseven if they maynot levya tax in the area. Potentiallyrecipientstates maywishto see tax
effort incorporated becausewithout it, extra taxeffort on their part willbe relativelyunproductive
compared to a wealthy state.
Problemsexistwith incorporatingtax effort into the program. First, the inclusionof
tax effort willcause the programto depart from its unconditionalnature. A state should be free to
substitute grant funds for revenue from own sources. Similarly,if a state raises taxes in order to
provide a bundle of servicesthat is higher than the standard it should not receive equalizationfor
doing so,e.g. other states should not haveto pay most of the cost if a state decidesto paint its roads.
Incorporatingtaxeffort wouldtie the federalgovemmenttoexpenditure philosophiesof thevarious
states. A problem also arises in that some states do not have tax bases in all areas. Incorporating
tax effort may also encourage the employment of strategy by a state. Another major problem
associatedwith the inclusionof tax effort in the formulais that in viewof the differential abilities
of the states to export taxes,the measurement of tax effort wouldbe crude. Inclusionof taxeffort
in the formula could also result in increase in taxes on the poor states. In view of the above
considerations, it appears that a program of equalization payments would not be improved by
includingtax effort.
StabilizationEffects
If the equalization payments in Brazil were to be based upon relative measures of
100
fiscalcapacity,they willbe expected to have a stabilizingeffect upon state revenues. The level of
paymentswillmove in a directionopposite to that in whichthe states own revenue raisingcapacity
moves. Maximumstabilizationof state-local revenueswilloccur when the payments are based on
all revenue sources, a national average standard of equalization is used, cyclicalfluctuations in
provincialeconomies are small and the time lag in calculatingthe grants is relativelyshor. When
any large component of the total base is quite volatile, such as natural resource revenues, the
destabilizingefiects can be quite large and some sort of averaging formula would have to be
employedto ease the difficultiesassociatedwith provincialbudgeting in the face of uncertainty.
Strategy
Strategy refers basicallyto the actionsthat provincialgovernmentscan take to affect
the level of payments they receive. A scheme that enables a state to employ strategy must be
considered undesirablebecause in general such extra paymentsreceivedmaynot have any relation
with actual disparities. For example,a programemployingtax effort could enable states to raise
their payments by imposingheavytaxes in areas in which they have a below average base. This
problem, however,is muchless serious in practice than it might appear as the room for additional
taxation from sources in which the potentially "have-not"states are not well-endowedwould be
extremelylimite.d.
ConcludingRemarks
Economictheory providesa strongrationale forfiscaldecentralizationas it promotes
efficient provision of public services by promoting a better match of these serviceswith citizens
preferences; by minimizing the cost of political decision making and by encouraging political
accountabilityand by addressingregional and local concerns. In Brazil such a program could be
helpful addressingregional equity and stabilizationobjectivesof the federal government.
101
APPENDIXB
OPERATIONALMECHANISMSOF CONVENIOS
The provisions of convenios vary by functional objectives. There are some general
procedures,however,that shouldbe observedwhen forminga convenio(Decreto-lei #200 of Feb/2/67,
2300of Nov/11/86,93872of Dec/23/86.)
A convenio is legallydefined (200/67)as a way to decentralize the activitiesof the federal
governmentby delegation of powers and funds for the conduction of federal projects (projects under
the responsibilityof the Union) to the local authoritieswhere the project is to take place. The source
of the funds can vary in manyways. Usually the funds come as supplemental credits or as recursos
vinculados (earmarked resources). In the first case, the federal government uses the excess in tax
collections to supplement the funds allocated to conveniosby more than the other funds. As far as
earmarked sources are concemed, these would be the FINSOCIAL, PIN/PROTERRA, education
salary,and lotteries, as well as the share of the special fund (FE) for whichthere is no fixeddistribution
criteria.
Stages forthe implementationof a convenio:proposal, authorization,
penho", delivery
of funds,monitoring and control.
For each petition filed by a state/local government, there is a separate proces-. In the
petition there must be a justificationand, in mostcases,a detailed plan for the use of the funds(schedule
of tasks and expenses).
The pctition isexaminedbya technicalcommittee. This analysischecksfor the compatibility
of the petition with the activitiesof the ministry.
Once the technicalcommitteegivesa favorableappreciation,the petition isforwardedto the
general secretary of the ministryso the value of the convenio can be approved and so that it can be
verified whether funds are available.
A convenio contract has the followinggeneral characteristics:definitionof the authorities
involved,the object of the convenio, the duties of each part, a schedule for the deliveryof the funds,
deadlines and conditionsfor alteration. The conveniois usuallysigned in a publicceremony in the state
102
capital.
Convenioslargerthan CzS2 millionmustbe publishedat the DiarioOfficial.(The official
dailypublicationof the federalgovernment.
For each conveniothere existsa checkingaccountat Banco de Brasilwhere to federal
governmentdepositsthe fundsaccordingto the predeterminedschedule.There are then hundredsof
suchaccounts.Thebeneficiary(stateor localgovernment)shouldreportto the federalgovernmenton
the progressand utilizationof thefunds.However,thisnot alwaysoccurssincesomelocalgovernments
lackthe personneland the expertiseto submitthe detailedreportsaskedby the federalgovernment.
As far asthe employmentof the fundsisconcerned,however,the beneficiaryhas to at leastpresentthe
statementsof the abovementionedaccountas a wayto documentthe proper use of the funds. The
misuseof suchfundsconstitutesan actsubjectto criminalcharges.Usuallyit isonlyat the end,afterthe
lastwithdrawalismadethat the federalgovernmentasksfor receiptson the expensesmade,
In manycasesthebeneficiaryhasalsoto commitsomeof theirownrevenuesto the convenio,
but there are no formalcriteriafor suchmatchingof funds. A completeand detailedaccountof the
transfersreceivedthroughthe convenioisnotalwayssubmittedto theappropriatestate/locallegislature
as
so it isnot alwaysthe casethat onecan findthemin the officialaccountsof statesand municipalities
intergovernmenttransfers.
It isalsoverycommonto havechangesin the originaltermsof the convenioor to readjust
predeterminedvalues If thelikelihoodof thesechangeswasnotforeseenwhentheconveniowassigned
than a newconveniohas to be made. In manycases,valuesneed to be readjusteddue to the highrate
of inflationand to the time it takes for the actualdeliveryof funds. To avoidthis problemsome
local/stategovernmentsoverstatethe valuesof theirconvenios.
Source:Afonso(1989).
103
APPENDLC C
THE ADMINISTRATIVEPROCESS OF SUDS
1. Mechanismsof Transfers of Funds
The funds transferred fromthe INAMPS (National Institute for Medical Assistanceof the
SocialSecurity System)to the states come from the Fundo de PrevidenciaAssistenciaSocial (FPAS).
This fund isconstitutedby the SocialSecuritycontnbutions of employersand employees(deducted from
pay roll).
The amount to be transferred is determined on a yearly basis by the "termos aditivost
(additional agreements) as establishedby the convenios.
Deliveryof Funds from INAMPS to States
INAMPS
=
once the Additional Agreement (TA) is signed, it makes the transfer of
funds in monthly installmentsaccording to the schedule of withdrawals
(CD-see below) and to the availabilityof funds in its budget.
BANCO DO BRASIL =
funds are deposited in earmarked accounts.
States
uses part of the funds and transfers the rest to the municipalities. States
=
willreceivethe 4th, 7th, 10th and installmentsconditionedon the approval
of the renderingof account (PC) coJncerningthe lastquarter. Consolidates
the PCs of the municipalities.
INAMPS/Office
=
has 15 daysto evaluate the PC.
DOF/INAMPS
=
approvesthe TA elapses,they have 30 days to present a consolidatedPC
for the entire year. The signingof a newTA isconditionedon the approval
of the PC.
2 Matchbngof Funds
As it was noted before, PO is the processby whichresources are allocated to the providers
of health-care. There is some matchingof funds here since aUllevelsof government participate in the
processwith some of their own revenues. There seems to exist no clear and predetermined matching
condition, however. What followsis a description of the way the processworks:
104
CIMS (municip)
-
prepares the plan of application of funds (PA) and the schedule of
withdrawal of funds (CD) for the coming year. PA and CD should
discriminate between the allocation of go
revenues and transferred
revenues.
CMS (municip)
=
evaluates and approve the PA/CD. Sends them back to CIMS.
CIMS
=
has up to September 30 to send the PA/CD to the state (CIS).
CIS
=
consolidatesthe state PA/CD wit1inhemanydifferentmunicipalones. The
consolidated report will indicate the real growth in the participation of
states in the financingof SUDS and the identificationof funds according
to their source: municipalitvsae -NAMPE,and other.
CES
=
evaluatesand approves the PA/CD. Sends them back to CIS.
CIS
=
has up to November30 to send them to the Regional Officeof INAMPS.
INAMPS
=
analysesthe PA/CD. Its main role is to provideorientation to CIMS and
CISin the preparation of the PA/CD. Sendsthe PA/CD to DOF/INAMPS.
DOF/INAMPS
=
analysesand consolidatesthe PC/CDs from allstates. It mayask the states
to change them. Prepares the POI which is the unified health budget for
the nation for the comingyear.Prepares the "termosAditivos"to be signed
everyyearbyStates andMunicipalities.Submitseverythingto the approval
of CIPLAN. Hasup to December 10to send approvalnotice to officesand
states.
CIPLAN
=
Approvesthe HTermosAditivos."
INAMPS Offices
=
States and municipalitiessign the "TermosAditivosw(TA). The TA must
specifythe amounts of co-participationof the parties involved.
States/Mun.
Source:Afonso (1989).
managementof the budget through SES and SMS, respectively.
Table A.
TRANSFERSBY FUNCTIONANDBY LEVELOF COVERZIENT
FEDERALCONDITIONAL
(1987)
(in percent)
Functional
functiona
and Planning
Administration
Agriculture
Regional Developvent
Energy and Minerals
Houain% and Urban Development
Health And Sanitation
Labor
Total
Source:
-
'Balancos
Gerais
Distributions
Total
States
Hun.
71.2
10.5
11.8
0.0
4.6
1.9
0.0
72.3
1.4
7.9
1.0
16.8
0.5
0.0
71.7
6.6
10.1
0.4
9.9
1.3
0.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
between
Distributiors
levels of govaroment
States
hun.
56.4 43.6
9.4
90.6
33.9
66.1
0.0 100.0
73.8
26.2
17.7
82-3
23.1
76.9
56.7
43.3
Total
made
transfers
capital
Intergivarnment
account
through the special investments
(as a 2 of ...)
Other InterOther interSpecial
gav, transfers
gaw, capital
lnvestments
transfers
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
69.9
40.5
53.1
0.4
30.1
34.1
19.6
1,220.3
1,364.0
439.3
107.4
17.5
184.1
165.9
87.8
405.7
13.9
107.4
5.8
72.7
100.0
37.4
302.6
70.7
da Uniao - 1987r, HINIFAZ
and to Municipalities
made ln the Special Investments Acccunt, to States --d DP,
Include Capital Trausfers,
BGU
the
in
4130
Account
Execution:
in Special
Investments
Account (4320)
Capital Ttansfers:
Intergoverment
CurrentTransfers:Account (3220)
Intergovernment
Other Transfersa (3220+ 4320) minus FederalTax Transfers
4230.47
CapitalTransfersmade to iratesIn the SpecialInvestments:Account
lutergovernment
4730.48.
Account
Investment
Special
the
in
Mun.
to
Transfers
Intergoverimant
106
Table A.2
8RAZILs FEDERAL CONDITIONAL TRANSFERS TO
STATZS AND MUNICIPALITIES BY FUNCTION
(1983-1987)
(percent)
%griculture
Regional
Development
Education
& Culture
Energy
Houslng &
Urban
Development
------------------------------.------------------------------
983
984
985
986
987
4.5
4.7
1.4
4.8
5.3
Health &
Sanitation
Transportation
Other
Functions
Total
24.9
29.7
35.6
27.3
45.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
__--------------__----------------------
34.4
22.8
12.8
16.5
1.8
15.8
18.4
26.0
19.0
22.4
6.0
9.2
7.1
4.5
2.3
1.7
1.2
0.7
14.7
6.5
12.8
14.0
16.4
13.1
16.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.6
ource: Sac. Progr. Financeira/STN e "Balancos Gerais da Uniaom, MINIFAZ
eflatort IGP-DI medio (FGV)
cher Transfera - Intergovernmental Transfers minus Federal Tax Transfers
ther Functions - Legislative, Judiciary, Planning and Administration, Defense, Commerce and Industry.
107
Table A.3
DiSTRIBUTION OF FEDERAL TRANSFERS THROUGHTEZ COIVENIOS TO
STATES AND HUNICIPALITIES BY THE GRANTINOFEDERAL KINISTRY
1985-86
(percent)
Regions/
States
Planning
Acre
Amazonas
Para
Rondonia
Amapa
Roraima
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara
R.Gde.Norte
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Al.agoas
Sergipe
Bahia
Mato Grosso
M4. Grosso Sul
Goias
Distrito Fedl.
Hinas Gerais
Espirito Santo
Rio Janeiro
Sao Paulo
Parana
Sta. Catarina
Rio Gde. Sul
43.5
52.4
32.2
13.2
53.2
44.8
45.3
41.4
21.4
27.9
31.5
12.5
31.0
39.0
20.5
54.7
38.4
24.8
92.1
2.8
42.2
1.8
7.9
1.5
13.9
2.7
Education
Cash In-kind Total
7.4
18.7
28.5
2.6
20.0
18.6
24.9
27.1
33.9
29.4
29.3
31.6
26.4
23.3
30.7
14.7
20.4
30.9
2.9
37.4
20.2
24.9
26.4
34.6
37.6
40.7
4.0
11.0
17.2
1.2
17.4
10.0
14.7
12.2
23.2
14.4
16.0
16.2
16.5
13.9
20.3
7.6
14.9
13.9
1.0
27.5
13.0
3.5
7.0
25.4
18.3
20.6
Health
Cash In-kLad
2.7
4.4
3.6
0.5
0.0
4.9
2.2
6.0
4.5
11.5
5.0
6.9
8.2
7.7
5.7
3.4
4.1
4.2
0.2
5.5
3.7
2.7
9.4
2.8
3.2
4.2
11.5
29.7
45.6
3.8
37.4
27.9
39.6
39.3
57.0
43.8
45.3
47.8
42.9
37.2
50.9
22.4
35.3
44.8
3.9
64.9
33.2
28.4
33.3
60.0
56.0
61.3
Urban
Finance
Others
Total
Total
Develoument
0.8
4.4
6.1
0.4
3.5
0.9
2.9
3.1
6.9
6.1
4.6
6.2
.7
4.1
6.8
1.5
3.6
6.0
2.3
3.8
2.8
6.8
5.4
4.8
4.0
4.3
3.4
8.8
9.7
0.9
3.5
5.8
5.2
9.1
11.4
17.6
9.6
13.1
14.9
11.9
12.5
4.9
7.7
10.2
2.5
9.3
6.5
9.5
14.8
7.6
7.1
8.5
0.7
8.5
5.1
0.6
4.7
2.5
4.3
6.9
4.8
6.8
10.4
22.5
8.2
9.2
9.5
8.7
11.3
11.4
1.3
11.5
13.4
23.1
33.1
14.4
14.7
16.2
38.4
0.0
0.0
78.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
5.1
0.0
0.0
0.0
6.0
0.0
33.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
2.5
0.6
7.4
2.7
1.2
18.9
5.7
3.3
5.3
4.0
3.3
4.2
3.0
2.6
6.6
4.2
7.2
8.8
0.27
11.4
4.7
4.1
10.8
16.4
8.8
11.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
_---------------------------__--____---_-----__---_-_-----------------
--------------------------------
NORTH
NORTHEAST
CENTRE-WEST
SOUTHEAST
SOUTH
25.7
29.1
74.6
9.9
5.2
10.0
28.7
9.2
29.4
37.4
5.8
16.6
4.7
15.0
21.9
15.8
45.3
13.9
44.4
59.3
1.8
5.7
1.4
5.3
3.4
2.0
5.1
2.8
4.6
4.4
3.7
10.8
4.2
9.9
7.8
2.6
10.2
4.4
19.4
15.12
48.6
0.0
0.6
8.0
0.0
3.6
4.6
2.3
8.4
12.5
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
BRAZIL
34.9
21.2
12.0
33.1
3.6
3.8
7.4
9.3
10.2
5.1
100.0
Source:
Silvia
Paiva,
STN/IfNIFAZ,
Results
from
a special
survey
of
government agencies.
108
Table A4
OVERALLIMPACTOF THE NEW FEDERALISM
ON STATE ANDMUNICIPALFINANCES:
States of Para and Parana
Fiscal Impact on
Available Revenues - 1993
Para
State
17.70%
Municipalities
31.20%
Parana
State
17.35%
Municipalities
35.65%
Sources:- Secretaria de Estado da Fazenda do Parana -
Coordenacao
de Assuntos Econ6micos.- Barrato, G. (1989) Impactoda Reforma Tributaria na Receita
Disponiveldo Parana. (manuscript)
- CondurCiJr., R. P.
(1988). 0
Ganhos Tributarios do
Estado e MunicipiosParaenses.Para DesenvolvimentoNo. 24
() Average Impact on all Brazilian municipalitiesas reported by
Condur(u(1988)
Table A.S
RECEIVEDBY BRAZILIAN MUNICIPALITIES
1987 - FEDERALTAX TRANSFERS
(Values in CurrentNCz3 Thousands)
Federal
Unit
(FPM)
TRANSFERS
CURRENT
X of total
value per capita
(FPM)
CAPITAL TRANSFERS
value per capita X of total
4.80%
0.44%
7.89%
671
522
763
237
2,756
331
5,270
0.68
1.35
0.41
2.16
0.60
1.42
0.65
0.75%
0.68%
0.84%
0.26%
3.07%
0.37%
5.86%
0.23
0.36
0.09
0.24
0.26
0.13
0.21
0.06
0.23
0.20
5.47%
4.37%
2.77%
2.65%
4.04%
4.45%
2.40X
0.43%
12.57%
39.16%
3,354
2,260
4,455
2,547
3,187
4,568
2,038
1,435
7,951
31,793
0.89
0.90
0.73
1.18
1.03
0.65
0.89
1.07
0.72
0.78
3.73%
2.61%
4.96%
2.83%
3.S5%
5.08%
2.27%
1.80%
8.85%
35.38%
4,840
868
520
1,377
7,202
0.31
0.28
0.04
0.04
0.12
22.91%
3.28%
2.57%
8.80%
35.56X
12,567
1,677
2,798
12,863
29,905
0.83
0.70
0.21
0.42
0.48
13.98%
1.87%
3.11%
14.31%
33.28%
1,071
485
734
2,270
0.13
0.11
0.08
0.11
5.29%
2.30%
3.62%
11.21%
6,466
3,726
5,783
15,975
0.76
0.88
O.88
0.74
7.20%
4.15%
6.44%
17.78%
0.09
0.28
0.18
0.76%
2.0e%
3.57%
1,300
1,372
4,251
0.78
0.87
0.92
1.45%
1.53%
4.73%
0.14
6.40%
6,923
0.72
7.70%
100.00%
89,886
608
413
533
234
1,784
241
3,713
0.62
1.07
0.29
2.14
0.39
1.04
0.48
0.73%
0.59%
0.77%
0.34%
2.58%
0.36%
5.33%
163
109
220
3
972
90
1,567
0.17
0.28
0.12
0.03
0.21
0.39
0.19
0.80%
0.54%
1.09%
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
2,248
1,374
3,893
2,011
2,369
3,864
1,551
1,348
5,405
23,861
0.48
0.65
0.64
0.92
0.76
0.52
0.67
1.00
0.49
0.59
3.23%
1.97%
5.59%
2.89%
3.40%
5.26%
2.23%
1.94%
7.76%
34.28%
1,108
888
562
538
818
902
487
87
2,546
7,932
Minas Cerais
EspiritoSanto
Rio de Janeiro
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
7,927
1,012
2,278
11,486
22,703
0.52
0.42
0.17
0.37
0.37
11.39%
1.45%
3.27%
16.5ox
32.62%
Parana
Santa Catarina
R Grand.Sul
SOUTH
5,395
3,281
5,049
13,705
0.63
0.77
0.68
0.64
7.76%
4.68%
7.25%
19.69%
1,148
954
3,527
0.68
0.60
0.78
1.85%
1.37%
5.07%
5,627
0.59
8.08%
1,298
100.00%
20,257
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Para
Amapa
NORTH
Maranhao
Piai
Ceara'
R GrandeNorte
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
M GrossoSul
Mato Crosso
Goias
DistritoFederal
CENTERWEST
89,609
BRAZIL
Source:
MINIFAZ/SEF
0.49
(FPM)
TAX TRANSFERS
TOTALFEDERAL
value per capita X of total
154
418
724
0.14
0.01%
0.64
100.00%
1987
-
Table A.6
NON-TAXTRANSFERSRECEIVEDBY BRAZILIANMUNICIPALITIES
(Values in Current NCz3 Thousands)
Federal
Unit
CURRENTST. A FEDNON-TAXTRANSFERS CAP. ST. A FED NON-TAXTRANSFERS TOTAL ST. A FEDNON-TAXTRANSFERS
value per capita % of total
value per capita X of total
value per capita X of total
339
42
127
20
411
26
965
0.36
0.11
0.07
0.18
0.09
0.11
0.12
1.56%
0.19%
0.68%
0.09%
1.87X
0.12X
4.40%
60
204
1,272
33
451
23
2,043
0.06
0.63
0.69
0.30
0.10
0.10
0.26
0.32X
1.09X
6.77%
0.18X
2.40%
0.12X
10.88x
399
248
1,399
53
862
49
3,008
0.41
0.64
0.76
0.48
0.19
0.21
0.37
0.98%
0.e0%
3.44%
0.13%
2.12%
0.12X
7.39X
382
221
803
278
216
790
198
263
712
3,883
0.08
0.09
0.13
0.13
0.07
0.11
0.09
0.20
0.06
0.10
1.74X
1.01%
3.8ex
1.27X
0.28
0.34
0.09
0.06
0.09
0.10
0.04
0.41
0.10
0.14
7.34X
4.68X
2.99X
0.71X
1.42X
3.67%
0.51%
2.96%
6.86%
29.71X
1,761
1,078
1,364
411
482
1,481
294
818
1,774
9,441
0.38
0.43
0.22
0.19
0.16
0.21
0.13
0.61
0.16
0.23
4.33%
2.65X
3.35X
3.8oX
0.90%
1.20%
3.25%
17.62X
1,379
867
681
133
286
671
98
653
1,062
5,678
1.18%
3.69x
0.72X
2.00%
4.36X
23.20%
1,328
219
EspiritoSan
Rio do Janei 1,631
7,720
Sao Paulo
10,898
SOUTHEAST
0.09
0.09
0.12
0.26
0.18
6.06%
1.00%
7.44X
36.21%
49.71%
2,094
236
242
2,433
5,004
0.14
0.10
0.02
0.08
0.08
11.15X
1.26X
1.29%
12.9ex
28.86X
3,422
464
1,873
10,163
15,902
0.23
0.19
0.14
0.33
0.26
8.41X
1.12X
4.60X
24.96x
39.07%
Parana
Santa Catari
R GrandeSul
SOUTH
2,068
1,100
1,497
4,863
0.24
0.28
0.17
0.22
9.38%
1,270
3.62%
16.9OX
3,328
2,326
2,176
7,827
0.39
0.65
0.26
0.36
8.17X
1,226
679
3,174
0.15
0.29
0.08
0.16
8.78X
6.02%
6.83X
19.23X
M Grosso Sul
388
473
705
0.22
0.30
0.16
1.68X
2.18X
3.22X
464
1,261
1,272
0.27
0.79
0.27
2.42%
6.88x
6.77X
822
1,724
1,977
0.49
1.09
0.43
2.02X
4.24%
4.88X
1,648
0.18
7.06X
2,977
0.31
15.88X
4,623
0.47
11.11X
21,926
0.15
100.00X
18,776
0.13
100.00%
40,701
0.29
100.00%
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Para
Amapa
NORTH
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara'
R Grande Nor
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
Sergipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
UinasCerais
Mato Grosso
Goias
DistritoFed
CENTER WEST
BRAZIL
Source:
MINIFAZ/SEF
0.99X
21.22X
e.62%
1.01%
6.71X
S.36X
Table A.7
TRANSFERSRECEIVEDBY BRAZILIANMUNICIPALITIES
1987 - SUMMARYOF INTERGOVERNMENTAL
(Valuesin CurrentNCzr Thousands)
Federal
Unit
TOTAL FED AND ST. TAX TRANSFERS
value per capita X of total
OTHER ST. A FED TRANSFERS
value per capita X of total
TOTAL FED. AND STATE TRANSFERS
value per capita % of total
948
679
1,949
288
3,641
379
7,884
0.97
1.60
1.08
2.45
0.77
1.63
0.94
0.4S%
0.27%
0.92%
0.13%
1.67%
0.18K
3.80%
399
246
1,399
63
862
49
3,008
0.41
0.64
0.76
0.48
0.19
0.21
0.37
0.98X
0.80X
3.44%
0.13X
2.12X
0.12X
7.39X
1,347
825
3,348
321
4,403
428
10,672
1.37
2.14
1.82
2.93
0.96
1.84
1.31
0.53X
0.33%
1.32%
0.13%
1.74%
0.17%
4.21%
Maranhao
Piaui
Ceara'
R Grand. Norte
Paraiba
Pernambuco
Alagoas
Sorgipe
Bahia
NORTHEAST
3,688
2,676
8,251
3,115
3,897
7,757
2,984
1,957
13,170
46,476
0.76
1.06
1.02
1.42
1.26
1.11
1.30
1.46
1.19
1.12
1.73%
1.26%
2.94%
1.46%
1.83X
3.86%
1.40%
0.92X
6.19%
21.39%
1,761
1,078
1,364
411
482
1,481
294
816
1,774
9,441
0.38
0.43
0.22
0.19
0.16
0.21
0.13
0.61
0.16
0.23
4.33X
2.66X
3.36X
1.01%
1.18X
3.S9X
0.72%
2.00%
4.38%
23.20X
5,429
3,754
7,615
3,626
4,379
9,218
3,278
2,773
14,944
64,916
1.12
1.49
1.24
1.61
1.41
1.32
1.42
2.06
1.36
1.36
2.14%
1.48X
3.01X
1.39K
1.73X
3.84X
1.29%
1.09%
6.90X
21.68X
Minas Coraia
EspiritoSanto
Rio do Janeiro
Sao Paulo
SOUTHEAST
24,877
3,693
14,823
64,064
107,447
1.65
1.66
1.12
2.07
1.74
11.70%
1.74K
6.97%
30.12K
60.63%
3,422
464
1,873
10,153
16,902
0.23
0.19
0.14
0.33
0.26
8.41%
1.12%
4.60%
24.95X
39.07K
28,299
4,147
16,696
74,207
123,349
1.87
1.74
1.26
2.40
2.00
11.17X
1.64K
6.69%
29.29%
48.69X
Parana
Santa Catarina
R GrandeSul
SOUTH
14,382
8,586
16,683
38,661
1.69
2.03
1.79
1.80
8.76K
4.04X
7.38X
18.18%
3,328
2,326
2,176
7,827
0.39
0.66
0.26
0.38
8.17K
6.71%
6.36%
19.23X
17,708
10,911
17,869
46,478
2.08
2.68
2.04
2.18
6.99x
4.31X
7.06X
18.35X
J,184
2,986
7,228
1.90
1.89
1.56
1.60%
1.40%
3.40%
822
1,724
1,977
0.49
1.09
0.43
2.02%
4.24%
4.88K
4,006
4,710
9,206
2.39
2.98
1.98
1.68X
1.86X
3.63%
13,398
1.40
6.30%
4,523
0.47
11.11%
17,921
1.87
7.07K
212,636
1.60
100.00%
40,701
0.29
100.00%
263,336
1.79
100.00X
Rondonia
Acre
Amazonas
Roraima
Para
Aapa
NORTH
M CrossoSul
Mato Grosso
Goiar
DintritoFederal
CENTERWEST
BRAZIL
Source:
MINIFAZ/SEF
112
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PREWorkingPaperSeries
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Applicatbnto UnitedStatesRegionalRobertKing
Growth
in Developing
WPS548 DepositInsurance
Countries
SamuelH.Talley
IgnacioMas
1990
November
M.Pomeroy
37666
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WPS549 Intertemporal
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Monetary
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PatricioArrau
1990
December
S. King-Watson
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to RelativePrice JohnL Newman
WPS550 Firms'Responses
VictorLavy
in C6ted'lvoire:The
Changes
for ExportSubsidies RaoulSabmon
Implications
PhilippedeVreyer
andDevaluations
1990
December
A. Murphy
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WPS551 Australia's
1990
December
N. Artis
37947
NancyGillespie
WPS552 SelectedWorldBankPoverty
of Approaches,
Studies:A Summary
andFindings
Coverage,
1990
December
M.Abiera
31262
WPS553 Money,Inflation,andDeficitin Egypt MarcebGiugale
HinhT.Dinh
1990
December
V. Israel
36097
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December1990
M. Schreier
36432
of PriceReform SimonCommander
WPS555 The Macroeconomics
FabrizioCoricelli
in SocialistCountries:A Dynamic
Framework
December1990
0. del Cid
39050
WPS556 TaxingChoicesin DeficitReduction John Baffes
AnwarShah
December1990
A. Bhalla
37699
WPS557 The NewFiscaiFederalismin Brazil
AnwarShah
December1990
A. Bhalla
37699
WP5558 AlternativeInstrumentsfor
Smoothingthe Consumptionof
PrimaryCommodityExporters
KennethM. Kletzer
DavidM. Newbkry
BrianD. Wright
December1990
J. Carroll
33715
WPS554 Korea'sLabor MarketsUnder
StructuralAdjustment
DipakMazumdar