Dynamics of Russian Cities Budget Autonomy in the Transition to Multi-Level Governance

Throughout the period after municipal reform in 2003, governing of Russian cities has been changing. A city as an object governance is located at intersection interests different levels public authorities and not limited only to local This article investigates how budget autonomy changing for last 16 years, exogenous economic shocks large-scale federal initiatives such “May Decrees” have influenced cities. The paper considers a hypothesis that there was transition multi-level 2006–2019, which led significant reduction autonomy. Budgets 35 largest Russia (except city-regions like Moscow Saint Petersburg) were collected analyzed terms their revenue expenditure sections test proposed hypothesis. relationship between level development sufficiency investigated with cluster analysis. main result this research become dependent on financial grants from regional governments since no national policy stimulating crisis 2014 accelerated process centralization. In addition, municipalities reduced due fact achieving indicators May Decrees had primary objective authorities. share income tax budgets increased significantly although diversity other sources decreased.