The conference, running until Thursday, November 5th, brings together specialists in fiscal federalism, decentralization, and public finance at the Plenary Hall of the Council of Economic and Social of Galicia (CES). The objective is to examine how to reconcile government autonomy with the capacity to provide public services in territories with different resources and needs.
The Rector of the USC, Rosa M. Crujeiras, presided over the opening session, highlighting universities' role in knowledge creation and transmission, and in contributing to the understanding of major societal challenges. She emphasized the importance of providing independent spaces for critical thinking and incorporating scientific evidence into public debate.
Fiscal equalization mechanisms, designed to compensate for differences between territories, were analyzed for their effects on inequality, economic growth, and political stability. The first day focused on the preferences of political elites, the impact of decentralization on inequality, and the influence of fiscal equalization on spending priorities.
The second day will compare financing and redistribution models from Canada, the United States, Europe, Colombia, and South Africa, also addressing the administrative capacity of municipal governments. Specialists from institutions such as Georgia State University, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, and the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela are participating in the event.
