The Opencivitas data and SOSE analyses utilized by Observatory on Public Finances of the Catholic University in Milan

First results published on 52 provincial capitals with more than 80 thousand inhabitants.

Rome, 05/23/2019

Recently a study of the Observatory on public finances of Catholic University in Milan, known as “Osservatorio Cottarelli” was published. The analysis focuses on the calculation used to determine standard expenditure needs, a project that has been involving SOSE since 2010 together with other scientific partners, as IFEL and ISTAT. The project is aimed to overcome the historical expenditure on which resource allocation is now based.

Standard expenditure needs estimate statistically the financial need of local authorities considering the territorial characteristics, the sociodemographic aspects of population and structural characteristics of the services provided.

They are a useful tool to define a fair distribution of resources and to evaluate if they are appropriate providing policy makers with a useful evaluation tool and supporting them in the dialogue with local authorities with the aim to pursue the best practice.

This methodological approach is today considered a best practice in planning financing systems for local governments and provides an important chance to update and make public expenditure of local authorities more efficient.

Thanks to the Italian experience of standard expenditure needs SOSE obtained important awards also abroad.

SOSE is considered an excellence model in Europe and for this reason it was identified by the Council of Europe as technical advisor of Armenian and Lithuanian governments to support the two countries in improving their equalization systems.

The note, published by Repubblica.it and taken up by many local and national media, is based on the analysis of the Observatory. It presents a classification of municipalities in ordinary statute regions based on the information published on OpenCivitas.it and collected by SOSE through the questionnaires sent to the local authorities involved in the determination of standard expenditure needs. Last 15 May data relating to 2016 were published on the web portal and were discussed in a seminar during the 30th Forum PA Edition.

The study carried out by Alessandro Banfi, researcher of the Observatory, reports the first results of the publication and concern 52 provincial capitals with more than 80 thousand inhabitants.