Local government reform and the socioeconomic gap in Israel
Subtitle: building toward a new future
By: Amir Levi, Tal Wolfson, Steven W. Popper, Shira Efron, Anamarie A. Whitaker, Jennifer J. Li
Series: [Research report] -- RR-3204-RC; Research report (Rand Corporation) -- RR-3204-RC
Publisher: RAND
Published: 2020
Place of publication: Santa Monica, CA
Language: eng
Number of pages: 108
ISBN-13: 9781977404961
Subjects: Local government; Municipal government; Economic development; Politics and government; Economic conditions; Social conditions; Economic history
Description: The local governance level in Israel has historically been weak compared with the power of the national government. Many of the issues regarding socioeconomic development and access to opportunity in the wider economy are best addressed at this level. This report discusses three key aspects of Israeli municipalities, with a view toward strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of local government in Israel, particularly in recruiting personnel to become more-active agents for change. First, the authors make the case for adopting a regional approach to address the fragmented nature of municipal governance and overcome some of the key obstacles confronted when dealing with the problems faced by individual small and poor municipalities. Second, they lay out a model for the hiring and placement of personnel in managerial municipal positions as a partial solution for cronyism and the dearth of skilled leadership and professional staffing that typifies many peripheral localities in Israel. Finally, the authors examine the education services that municipalities would be able to offer their residents, with an emphasis on minority communities. This report should be of interest to those involved in urban and regional transformations, the institutions of democratic governance, and Israeli social and economic development, including those working toward greater inclusion of disadvantaged populations within Israel and more generally.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-105).

Also available on the internet via WWW in PDF format.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: The Case for a Regional Approach to Local Governance; title: Strengthening Managerial Skills and Human Capital; title: Improving Education Services Provided by Municipalities; title: Findings and Policy Recommendations.