Bureaucracy and corruption continue to hold back the public administration, despite the continuous reforms approved and the "smart" and "open" projects launched in Italy. To improve the public machine, we need to change our approach and start evaluating public administrations: on the one hand, by measuring their performance, transparency and anti-corruption activities; on the other, by comparing the results, so as to trigger a healthy competition between administrations of the same type.
This is what this book does, with a journey through the municipalities that has many innovative aspects. First of all, because it adopts the point of view of the citizens, who are users of the Municipalities, but also "shareholders", with the tax levy. Secondly, because it analyzes not only the budget data of the Municipalities, but also qualitative data, such as governance, procurement management, services. Thirdly, because it compares the results of the evaluation of municipal administrations, identifying those that spend public money better and proposing them no longer as best practice, but as a benchmark to follow.
The Report, which will be released annually, is also a contribution to the State that wants to focus the spending review on merit, rather than linear cuts, and to those citizens who are interested in a more mature and incisive participation in the management of the common good.
