Pavel Zdražil

Property Tax and Quality of Life in the Czech Municipalities: Does the Policy of Raising Local Coefficient Imply Potential or Risk for Development?

Since the 1990s, the Czech intergovernmental fiscal relations have been undergoing a transformation. One of the measurements strengthening the autonomy of local authorities was the introduction of the instrument of the local coefficient in 2009 which provided the municipalities with the possibility to raise real estate tax in order to maximize their revenues. The aim of this article is to statistically analyse the impact of this instrument on the quality of life in a sample of Czech municipalities which have changed the local coefficient from 1 up to 5. The empirical analysis consists of two parts - a non-parametrical correlation analysis and paired difference testing. It is carried out in context of population ageing versus population growth, and the availability of basic public services (education, health care, communication, public safety). The analysis proves that there are great differences between the municipalities that have increased the real estate taxes and municipalities that have not. In the second case, the municipalities are more threatened by population ageing as they face the growth of population while the number of working age citizens is declining together with the provision of public services. Meanwhile, the municipalities that have increased the coefficient of real estate taxes have experienced increase in both population and working age population sizes. Such municipalities do not face the problem of shrinking of public services. Also, the policy of raising local coefficient implies a potential for ongoing development of districts.

Regional Development in Central-Eastern European Countries at the Beginning of the 21st Century: Path Dependence and Effects of EU Cohesion Policy

Abstract Cohesion Policy has provided new impulses for development in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) that continue to be challenged by regional disparities. This paper investigates the effects of the European Union Cohesion Policy on regional development. After presenting historical development patterns of the investigated area and opportunities afforded by this policy, its effects on a variety of indicators are analysed for the period 2007–2014. The analysis allowed confirming positive effects of EU Cohesion Policy on the development of CEE regions. However, these effects differ across the investigated area. Moving forward, it will be crucial to develop institutions and policies characteristic to each region that are stable and efficient without external funds.

Vývoj disparit českých regionů z hlediska různých úrovní mzdové diferenciace

Regional disparities in economic performance are not the only barriers to development, since the regional disparities in income may result in many socio-economic impacts as well. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the development of disparities between the Czech regions in terms of various levels of wage differentiation; and to identify common patterns as well as variations – regions that are out of line with general trends. The analysis of disparities is established on the concordance approach with regions being examined in pairs. The analysis results show that the convergence process prevails at lower levels of wage differentiation, but the convergence linkages are substituted by the divergence linkages with increasing level of wage differentiation, while intensity of substitution is increasing. It was also found that common development patterns can be found in some Czech regions; however, the regions of Pardubice, South Bohemia, Karlovy Vary and Vysocina are out of line with general trends.

Jsou přímé zahraniční investice determinantou atraktivity českých regionů

The attractiveness of region can be considered as a very huge term which is closely related to the regional development because it’s de facto qualitative indicator of today and future potential. Therefore, the finding of factors that are able to determine the regional attractiveness looks to be very desirable in terms of regional policy shaping. The aim of this paper is to examine the provability of foreign direct investments effect on attractiveness of Czech regions within the multidimensional aspect focused on selected indicators of labor market, business base, macro-economic development, housing construction, and demographics; and to decide if foreign direct investments can be interpreted as a relevant determinant of development of Czech regions. The aim has been achieved by time series analysis and reviewing relations of development of variables under examination. We can suggest that foreign direct investments determine the attractiveness of some regions only in terms of business base, potential consumption, employment (hours worked) and migration.