Does local government autonomy promote fiscal sustainability? Lessons from Illinois’ home rule municipalities

Every year, IMFG awards two fellowships to graduate students at the University of Toronto who are undertaking doctoral or master’s level work in areas related to municipal finance and governance. Come learn more about the research for one of this year’s fellowship winners.

Illinois’ home rule municipalities enjoy some of the broadest discretionary authority of any local government in North America. According to Illinois’ 1970 Constitution, local officials in these jurisdictions are permitted to “exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to [their] government and affairs,” subject only to expressed limitations. This contrasts sharply with their non-home rule counterparts whose powers are limited to those expressly granted by state statute.

What are the consequences of home rule authority on fiscal sustainability? What lessons does this hold for Canadian municipalities? On May 3, 2018, IMFG Graduate Fellow Matthew Walshe addressed these questions by analyzing the experience of over 50 cities and villages that adopted home rule within the past two decades.

About the Speaker

Matthew Walshe is the recipient of IMFG’s Blanche and Sandy Van Ginkel Graduate Fellowship in Municipal Finance and Governance. He is a doctoral student in economics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in economics and finance, both from the University of Alberta.

View Matthew Walshe’s Presentation 

At IMFG, we strive to create inclusive events for all individuals to participate. All IMFG event spaces are accessible. If you have further questions about the accessibility of our events, please contact info.imfg@utoronto.ca. Read about IMFG’s commitment to accessibility.