Umeå Economic Studies,
Umeå University, Department of Economics

Abstract: This paper concerns municipal preferences for state imposed municipal amalgamations. The main purpose of the paper is to study what factors that can explain municipal acceptance or objection of a state imposed amalgamation decision. The empirical analysis is based on the extensive municipal reform in Sweden in 1952. As much as 66 percent of the newly formed municipalities had at least one municipality that objected to the new organisation. The results indicate that the size of the municipality is of importance; small and large municipalities are most likely to accept the amalgamation decision. Furthermore, the relative municipal size affects the probability of accepting the amalgamation decision and equally sized municipalities are less likely to amalgamate on a voluntary basis. We also find that interjurisdictional co-operation prior to the reform has a positive effect on the municipal decision to accept the new municipal structure.

Keywords: Local government structure; municipal amalgamations; heterogeneous preferences

JEL-codes: H11; H40; H73; H77; R50

23 pages, January 14, 2009

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