Stuck with the bill, but why? : an analysis of the Portuguese public finance system with respect to surface transportation policy and investments

Abstract

Despite decentralization progress in other sectors, the Portuguese central government maintains significant administrative and fiscal power over national and sub-national surface transportation operations and infrastructure. This thesis provides a global view of the state of surface transportation in Portugal through an analysis of both the nation's public finance and transportation finance systems as well as a discussion of specific surface transportation systems. It reveals that national and sub-national governments in Portugal are collectively pursuing an unsustainable transportation finance policy that places a significant burden on the public finance system, unfairly privileges the nation's metropolitan areas, and enables a costly and highly politicized tug-of-war between central government and sub-national governments with respect to public transportation investments.