Doctoral School Sustainable Development - Consequences of demographic transition on local government’s budget in Styria with a focus on residual costs.

Local authorities in rural areas are faced with a decrease in their fiscal scope. Due to growing demands considering basic tasks of communities and the obligation to fulfil the Maastricht criteria, it is getting more and more difficult for them to finance local expenditures. The situation worsens when communities are confronted with a declining population and an aging of local society: On the one hand a shrinking number of inhabitants does not automatically imply diminishing expenditures and on the other hand a shortfall in revenue is to be expected.