1761 KB0 KB200320122012Aigner, BirgitDöring, Thomasletnik:10številka:3str. 7-24ISSN:1581-7555COBISSID:4004014URN:URN:NBN:SI:doc-7QR9ME5GenFakulteta za upravoUprava (Ljubljana)fiscal federalismgospodarstvojavne financelocal public enterpriseslocal public financelokalna upravaNemčijanew political economynova politična ekonomijapodjetjapublicly provided goodsEconomic activities of German local authorities - critical notes from a public finance perspective|Within the last two decades, local authorities throughout Germany have increased their revenue by stepping up their economic activities. Municipal business ventures range from energy supply to catering services and even food retail, and are almost all justified by some public purpose or other. In 2010, local authorities in western Germany earned 5.3 pc of total revenue from their economic activities, compared to 4.7 pc in 1992. The share in eastern Germany was rising over the same period from 4.3 pc to 5.1 pc. In fact in 2010 a total of eur 9.3 billion was earned by local authorities this way (compared to eur 6.0 billion in 1992). The aim of the paper is to examine this trend from the perspective of public finance by drawing on the theory of public goods, the theory of fiscal federalism and some aspects of new political economy. Although the results vary somewhat depending on the angle taken, on balance the new economic activities by local government in Germany must be assessed negativelyTEXTznanstveno časopisjejournalsSlovenian National E-content AggregatorNational and University Library of SloveniaUniverza v Ljubljani, Fakulteta za upravo