The scientific paper emphasizes the results of the first stage of administrative-financial decentralization in Ukraine that has been lasting for four years. The authors substantiate the reasonability of considering decentralization as the mechanism to achieve boosting of economic growth in the country according to the “upward” principle based on active use of own socio-economic resources of communities. The paper defines the major goals of the reform across the levels of public governance and the goal of the policy in the sphere of decentralization, which stipulates the shift from decentralized governance model, securing the capability of local governance and development of efficient system of authorities’ territorial organization in Ukraine. Possible risks of negative impact of fiscal decentralization on economic growth of the country are explained based on defining the peculiarities of the reform implementation in the western countries. Basic principles to be taken into account in forming of methodical approaches to evaluation of the efficiency of decentralization mechanisms in the context of their impact on socio-economic development of a territory are outlined. The institutional provision of decentralization reform in Ukraine is analyzed. The peculiarities of compliance with the stages of implementation of the local governance and authorities’ territorial organization reform in Ukraine are determined. Special attention is paid to the condition of legislative maintenance of the reform. The authors outline the dualistic approach to decentralization in Ukraine at conceptual level, which stipulates not only the securing of efficient local governance and capability of administrative-territorial units of basic level, but also the need to establish efficient regional policy. The paper defines the features of CTCs forming in Ukraine from the viewpoint of specifying of the number of consolidated local councils and the number of residents as well as the level of financial provision of budgets of such administrative-territorial groupings. Major problems of forming and development of CTCs in conditions of conclusion of the first reforming stage and possible risks caused by these problems are outlined. 

administrative-financial decentralization, goals of the reform, legislative provision of decentralization, consolidated territorial communities, capability 

The article is devoted to the substantiation of theoretical and methodical principles and practical recommendations regarding the potential of territorial communities’ financial and economic formation in the context of local self-government reform. The peculiarities of the territorial community development in the conditions of local self-government reform are determined. The emphasis is placed on the fact that the local self-government reform is based on the disposition principle, according to which the purpose of the reform is to enable territorial communities to manage their own resources effectively in order to ensure their development. The ways of activating the entrepreneurial environment at the level of local self-government bodies are suggested. The research conducted in this paper showed the short-term interests domination and lack of a strategic vision of territorial communities’ development in Ukraine, which has a negative impact on the business environment in the community. The main factors of territorial communities’ competitiveness for attracting investment resources and entrepreneurial structures into their territory are determined. The paper develops organizational and economic approaches to activating the entrepreneurial environment in the territorial communities through the effective use of local self-government bodies’ powers in the area of establishing local taxes and fees, planning and disposal of land resources, disposal of communal property, encouraging entrepreneurial activity of community residents. The necessity of establishing local taxes and fees for a period of three years in order to ensure the stability and possibility of adapting business entities to appropriate conditions, the use of tax breaks and the reduction of local taxes rates and fees by local authorities as a short-term measure to attract new entrepreneurial structures to the community is emphasized. The necessity to stimulate local self-government bodies to encourage entrepreneurs and provide official registration of entrepreneurial activity on the territory of the community is explained. The research substantiates the land resources role in shaping the community’s financial and economic potential, in particular, the need to formulate a planning and functional structure of the settlement, taking into account the strategic plans or programs of territorial community development in order to ensure the most effective use of land and socio-economic development. 

territorial community, business environment, local taxes and fees, land management, decentralization 

The article presents the study of the fiscal decentralization process in Ukraine at the level of local governance defined by this reform as basic – the level of newly formed UTC in terms of the first results, risks and challenges that occur in modern conditions. The features of administrative and territorial reform in Ukraine in the past and at present are researched. The position of communities’ forming in the reform of administrative and territorial structure of Ukraine is investigated. Amendments to the Budget Code of Ukraine and the Tax Code of Ukraine in the context of the administrative-territorial reform and the reform of fiscal decentralization are analyzed. The necessity of understanding the role and place of local communities in the development of local government is argued. The place and role of cities of oblast significance in the process of implementing the reform of the administrative-territorial system are determined. The notions of «urban agglomeration» are analyzed in the context of existing administrative territorial system. A conclusion is made that, despite lack of changes in the effective legal framework toward improvement of the administrative territorial system and absence of any proper agglomeration act, territorial communities must seek horizontal cooperation for the sake of their economic development and competitiveness. The measures to improve the territorial financial ability to implement the responsibilities granted to local government in the context of changes of administrative-territorial structure are proposed. The ways of strengthening the financial autonomy of municipalities are grounded. The necessity of achieving financial viability in order to accomplish the basic functions conferred on local authorities by the state is grounded. It is shown that the legislative innovations are not able to ensure decentralization. It is concluded that the community development at the local level is possible only when the correct public and local government policies are formed, basing on the fiscal capacity of communities. 

united territorial community (UTC), city of oblast significance, agglomeration, financial capacity, administrative and financial decentralization 

In this scientific article the composition of tax revenues in local budgets is determined. Problems of the comprehensive characteristic of tax revenues categories are diagnosed. The position of communities’ funding in the reform of administrative and territorial structure of Ukraine is investigated. Problems of providing the local communities with financial resources in the process of the territorial development are diagnosed. The ways of strengthening the financial autonomy of municipalities are grounded. The basic changes in taxation of communities concerned with the reform of local government are studied. Amendments to the Budget Code of Ukraine and the Tax Code of Ukraine in the context of the administrative-territorial reform and the reform of fiscal decentralization are analyzed. The necessity of understanding the role and place of local communities in the development of local government is argued. The place and role of providing taxes to local budgets in forming the economic and financial potential of the area are investigated. The basic tools of tax revenues formation to local budgets are defined. The interdependence between the formation of tax payments and the level of economic development of the respective administrative-territorial unit is proved. Sources of the tax revenues to local budgets and their focus on supporting the budget expenditures are shown. As part of the major sources of the budget revenues the tax on economic activity, personal income tax, consumption of public goods taxation, property tax and the use of natural resources taxation are determined. The place and role of each tax payment in financial resources of local budgets forming is analyzed. It is determined that all incomes are included to the general fund of the local budgets. Accordingly, we are not talking about their targeted use to support certain budget expenditure. The priority of formation of the expenditure policies of local governments is proved. The basic factors that influence the mobilization of revenues from taxation are analyzed, such as: the number and potential of business entities development, the level of the shadow sector extent, investment attractiveness. The necessity of achieving financial viability in order to accomplish the basic functions conferred on local authorities by the state is grounded. It is proved that the income tax is a leader in formation of financial resources of local budgets. The role of local taxes and fees in the system of tax payments to local budgets is determined. It is shown that the legislative innovations are not able to ensure decentralization. Changes to the determination and administration of tax payments to local budgets are proposed. Attention is paid to insufficient tax revenues in the financial resources of local governments. It is concluded that the community development at the local level is possible only when the correct public and local government policies are formed, basing on the fiscal capacity of communities. 

tax revenues of the local budgets, tax viability, sources of tax revenues