Fiscal Structure of Local Governments in the United States of America and Its Relation with the Central Government

Abstract

United States of America is a country that has a decentralized management system and federal form of government structure. Management system offers three tiered structure. Federal government is in the first level of administrative unit, states are in the second level of administrative units and local governments are the third level of administrative unit. Local government's structure and quality varies from state to state. Therefore, each local government unit has its own unique features. Local governments in the USA can be classified in the form of county, municipal, town and village, school districts and special districts. However, sometimes a local government unit that has the same structure is also structured with a different name in another state. In this paper, management structure of USA, local government's financial structure and its relationship with the central government have been examined.