Vol. 11 No. 2 (2015)

Purpose. The purpose is to explore different phases, identify problems and prospects of local government reforming in Russian Federation. Methods. Historical, comparative analysis of legal acts, archive recording and informational materials; participant observation, based on subjective assessments. Results and practice significance. Author envisaged the framework of local government departments of urban districts, legal and organizational basics of administration activities in the city of Barnaul. Also author studied issues of creation a two-tier model of local government in the urban district. Different expert's view on the introduction this management model and the need for public participation in this process were compared. Scientific novelty. Author described the features of the organizational legal regulation in various stages of local government reform; assessed the possibility of creating intra-municipal entities and the expediency of changing organizational and economic foundations of the municipal government in a major city; stressed the need for public participation in the study process.

Goal. The aim of this research is to shed light on the negative outcomes of excessive land privatization and development in the post-Soviet transition period in traditional resort areas. It will specifically examine the case of the Northern Caucasus area where the main challenge today is to find ways of restoring a sense of common good through the revision of existing planning laws and regulations. The paper also tries to explore the chances of reinstating to a certain extent some of the state’s role as main regulator and guarantor of the public domain. Methods. The case was investigated using face to face interviews with local and regional authorities, property owners, and visitors to the Dombay resort. It was also performed through field visits in addition to analyzing satellite images, cadastral maps and property registry. The research was also based on a thorough understanding of the exiting Russian land and planning laws. Results. The investigation has shown that the lack of public spaces significantly reduces the quality of the urban environment, the attractiveness of resorts and, consequently, the value of land. Finding tangible solutions requires joint efforts at various levels of government including the amendment of existing legislations on urban planning and land use and the development of various forms of public-private partnerships, which means the need to reassert the state's role in regulating urban development. Scientific novelty. The paper shows connection of land use and urban environment’s quality that has significant influence on place’s touristic attractiveness. At the same time, this fact is not recognized by authorities and is not used in local policies. The survey showed a necessity to shift attention to long-term vision in constructing of municipal economic benefits and interrelation between different levels of governance.

Purpose. The study of theoretical aspects of urban agglomerations in Russia, offering practical recommendations for the study of their development. Methods. The basis of the practical part of the work are the method of comparative, analytical and graphical analysis. Results and practical significance. The article presents a necessary and fundamental problems in the study of urban agglomerations in Russia, namely a review of the conceptual apparatus; the main factors determining the urban agglomerations development; proposed analysis tools for urban agglomerations; the main problems of urban agglomerations in Russia. Scientific novelty. Scientific novelty of the article lies in the author's interpretation of the term "agglomeration", as well as in the proposed analysis tools for urban agglomerations.

Purpose. Development of methodology and analysis of patterns that characterizes the achieved level of small businesses participation in contracts for municipal and regional procurement. Methods. The role of small businesses in procurement for municipal, regional and national needs for the period 2010-2012 was analyzed. Author proposed the use of the normal distribution density functions to assess these indicators of municipal and regional procurement, as the number and value of contracts per 1000 of small businesses, the proportion of the number and value of contracts in the total number and total value of contracts awarded on the results of the auction, the average cost of one contract with small businesses. Results. Through the use of data sets that characterize contracts concluded with small businesses and entrepreneurs in all regions of the Russian Federation and municipalities author developed ten density function of the normal distribution. Author assessed their quality and relevance of approximated data. In the article the results of the analysis of the level of small businesses participation in procurement were presented. Some aspects introduced in 2014 in the Russian contract system was also described. Scientific novelty. Author proposed an algorithm for the analysis of patterns characteristic of the achieved level of business structures participation in contracts for municipal and regional procurement. Author developed density function of a normal distribution, describing patterns of participation of small businesses in the contracts. Mean values ​​and ranges of values ​​considered indicators in most municipalities and regions of our country were determined. Proposals for improving the contract system in the procurement of goods, works and services were presented.

Purpose. Identification of the dominant practices of staff forming at the municipal administration. Methods. The author used procedures questionnaire municipal employees, expert interviews with heads of departments of municipal administrations to analyze the effectiveness of personnel selection. Sociological research conducted in three municipalities of the Sverdlovsk region: Kamyshlov municipal district, Bogdanovich urban district, Gornouralsk urban district. Results and practical significance. Author identified the advantages and obstacles to the use of competitive procedures in the formation of the staff of the municipal administration. Also current problems with talent pool were identified. Scientific novelty. Author identified objective and subjective factors that reduce the efficiency of the recruitment in the municipalities administration. The positive practices used by local authorities in the formation of staff were highlighted.

Purpose. Study, analysis and synthesis of the municipalities main problems to assess the financial dependence of the local budget with limited resources, and to develop some proposals for their resolution. Methods. Author analyzed the budget reporting and regulatory and legal acts of local government by using the methods of comparative and content analysis. Author came to conclusion about the financial dependence of the local budget on the timeliness and completeness of local government implementation functions as an institution of power and agent for the municipal services organization by using such methods as socio-economic, financial forecasting and planning, synthesis. Results. The relationship between the objectives of fiscal and socio-economic policy of the municipality in the face of shrinking budgetary resources were examined based on the dynamics of the revenue basic indicators and the local budget expenditure, innovations budget legislation based on evidence-based approaches and expertise, as well as their own conclusions. Author developed areas of local government improvement for the organization of the budget process for target-oriented basis. Scientific novelty. Scientific novelty lies in a justification characteristics finance municipalities financial dependence and study its impact on the organization of the budget process in conditions of limited budgetary resources; development of local authorities tactical activities as crisis managers in economic instability.

Purpose. Summarizing the experience of the municipal administrations of the Uralsky settlement of the Sverdlovsk region for the management and budget funding of the preschool educational institutions in the conditions of reforming the public sector. Methodology. On the basis of market and fiscal approaches to financing municipal budgetary institutions the authors carried out a comparative analysis of the estimated funding the provision of subsidies on the basis of municipal jobs. The study is based on the following regulatory framework: Federal Law of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2012. № 273-FZ (edition of 31.12.2014) «On Education in the Russian Federation», resolutions of the Government of Sverdlovsk region, resolutions the municipal administrations of the Uralsky settlement. Results: On the basis of market and fiscal approaches to financing municipal budgetary institutions the authors carried out a comparative analysis of the estimated funding the provision of subsidies on the basis of municipal jobs; the authors identified the main directions of increasing income of preschool educational institutions due to the expansion of fee-based services.

Purpose. Consideration of possible scenario implementation challenges of introduced a mechanism for financing capital repairs of apartment fund in the municipalities of the Altai Territory. Mathods. The author analyzed the implementation of the mechanism for financing capital repairs of apartment fund, based primarily on budget financing, and presented a forecast the priority issues with the introduction of a new mode of financing the reproduction of the common property of an apartment building. Results. The author analyzes the two approaches to the organization of capital repairs of apartment fund, with a focus on the strengths and weaknesses. Also on the basis of expert estimates, the author highlighted the basic systemic problems of implementing a new funding mechanism for reproduction of an apartment fund at the municipal level, with the offer of options for its’ prevention. Scientific novelty. Scientific novelty lies in the study of inefficient elements of the preceding and implemented system of financing capital repairs of apartment fund.

Purpose: analysis of the socio-demographic situation in the Sverdlovsk region, Ekaterinburg problems and development of a set of government measures to improve the efficiency of regulatory processes of migrants’ integration in the community of Russian cities. Methods: economic and statistical analysis of scientific literature, websites, periodicals on the impact of labor migration on the socio-demographic and economic development of Russian cities, selective sociological survey on the integration of foreign migrants in the community, the economy of the Russian cities. Results: The article considers the dynamics of change in the age composition of the population of the Sverdlovsk region, Ekaterinburg, factors affecting the integration of migrants in the community of Russian cities, the author analyzed the statistical indicators that reflect the state of the social, labor and demographic sphere, analyzed the results of a sociological survey among foreign migrant workers. Scientific novelty: the author proposed a method of sociological research of migrants’ integration problems, as well as the complex of measures regulating the integration of migrants in the community of Russian cities and regions.

Purpose. To identify the stages Krasnoturinsk development in the post-Soviet period based on an assessment of the towns' population change dynamics. Methods. The study used quantitative methods of economic and statistical analysis and qualitative methods of genetic and comparative analysis. Results and practical significance. The paper presents a comparative analysis of population change between 1992 and 2014 of monocities of the Sverdlovsk region Krasnoturinsk and Severouralsk with the regional index. The authors identify the main stages of development of the urban district Krasnoturinsk and give them a brief description. Obtained results will be needed in the formation of management decisions and justification of recommendations for further development of monocities of the Northern Administrative District of Sverdlovsk region. Scientific novelty. The paper studies the relationship between population change of the monocity in the post-Sovet period and stages of development of the industrial city-forming enterprise.

Purpose: Development of a set of measures to improve the social mortgage lending in Vladimir and Vladimir region. Methods: logical and statistical analysis, the method of comparison. Results and practical significance: One of the effective ways to solve the housing problems of socially vulnerable categories of citizens is mortgage lending with the ability to use different kinds of subsidies for these purposes. However, the implementation of social mortgage lending is accompanied by a certain number of problems. Therefore, a detailed analysis of this type of lending and proposals for the creation of more favorable conditions for potential participants can contribute to greater efficiency of the measures to support citizens. Scientific novelty: The author suggests the interpretation of the classification of the legal framework of social mortgage lending, as a result of the analysis of trends in the implementation of social mortgage lending in Vladimir and Vladimir region, identifies "bottlenecks" and develop measures to address them.