FSD2470 Finnish Local Government Barometer 2009: Members of Municipal Councils
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Foundation for Municipal Development
Abstract
The survey charted the attitudes of members of municipal councils towards local government finance and municipal service provision, especially in the light of the current economic recession. First, the respondents were asked whether they were worried about various things, such as the low availability of social and health care services, racism and hostility towards foreigners, criminality, unclean environment, traffic noise, and the development of the municipality's financial situation. They were also presented with a list of various objectives and means of saving related to municipal services, finances, and administration, and asked which of them they would accept during the current economic recession. The objectives included raising the municipal tax rate, outsourcing municipal services, and decreasing the quality of municipal services.
Next, the respondents were presented with a list of targets for public expenditure, such as the maintenance of parks and recreation areas, public transport services, support of business, child day care, and cultural services. They were asked which of these targets could be cut down when the municipalities have to reduce their expenditure. In addition, they estimated how various services, such as schools, social assistance, and health care services, were organised in their municipality of residence. They were also asked which of these services must absolutely be organised by the municipality, and which could be organised by the state, private companies, organisations, or the inhabitants of the municipality. Finally, the respondents were presented with a set of attitudinal statements on the allocation and privatising of municipal services and the power of municipal authorities and elected officials.
Background variables included the respondent's gender, party preference, municipality size, and and the regional council in the area of which the municipality is located.
Keywords
councillors; economic recession; local government; local government finance; local government services; municipalities; political parties; privatization; public political influence
Topic Classification
local government studies; political studies (FSD Topics Classification)
elites and leadership; government, political systems and organisations (CESSDA Topics Classification)
Series Name
Finnish Local Government Barometers
Restrictions
Access to the data granted for scientific and teaching purposes. FSD's access application procedure.
Data Collector
TNS Gallup Finland
Data Producer
Foundation for Municipal Development
Collection Date
2.4.2009 - 18.5.2009
Nation
Finland
Geographical Coverage
Finland
Analysis Unit
Individual
Universe
Members of municipal councils in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands)
Sampling Procedure
Systematic sampling
The sample was drawn with systematic sampling from among all members of municipal councils in Finland.
Collection Mode
Postal survey
Research Instrument
Structured questionnaire
Response Rate
50,6%
Time Method
Longitudinal: Trend/Repeated cross-section
Collection Size
Data: SPSS portable file. Data available also in other file formats.
Data version
1.0 (20.10.2009)
Other Material
Questionnaire: pdf file in Finnish
Citation Requirement
The source must be acknowledged in any publication based wholly or in part on the data. The bibliographic citation may be in the form required by the publication, or in the form suggested by the archive.
Bibliographical Citation
Finnish Local Government Barometer 2009: Members of Municipal Councils [computer file]. FSD2470, version 1.0 (2009-10-20). Espoo: TNS Gallup Finland [data collection], 2009. Helsinki: Foundation for Municipal Development [producer].Tampere: Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor], 2009.
Depositing Requirements
The archive must be informed of all publications where the data have been used.
Disclaimer
The depositor and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the secondary use of the data.
Related Publications
Kansalaismielipide ja kunnat: Ilmapuntari 2009 (2009). Helsinki: Kunnallisalan kehittämissäätiö. Polemia-sarja; 73.
