Análise dos indicadores financeiros e orçamentários dos Municípios que integram a Baixada Litorânea no Rio de Janeiro: Um estudo da posição financeira sob a ótica do “going concern” à luz Teoria da Legitimidade

Abstract

The research analysed the relative financial position of the municipalities comprising the Baixada Litorânea region in the State of Rio de Janeiro, creating a ranking based on liquidity, indebtedness, and budgetary and financial execution, as well as identifying the expenditure group that received the highest capital outlay during two electoral cycles between 2018 and 2022. In this study, the comparative analysis approach employed financial indicators to compare the index scores of the Baixada Litorânea municipalities with those of the target municipalities ranked among the top ten in the IGMA 2023. The financial position analysis was mainly applied to highlight the financial indicator scores in which the analysed municipalities substantially diverged from the target municipalities, in order to encourage discussion among key stakeholders regarding future fiscal decisions (including potential tax increases or reductions). This study aims to analyse, through the lens of Legitimacy Theory and the accounting principle of going concern, the financial and budgetary indicator indices derived from the financial and fiscal statements of the municipalities within the Baixada Litorânea, for the period from 2018 to 2022. The research adopted a quantitative approach with a descriptive design, using secondary data available from the SICONFI and TCE-RJ systems. Liquidity, indebtedness, and budget execution indicators were applied, organised into annual and longitudinal rankings, in addition to a comparative analysis of capital expenditures (GND 4) across two electoral cycles (2018–2019 and 2021–2022). The results revealed significant disparities among the municipalities analysed: while some showed indicators close to those of the target municipalities, others exhibited weaknesses suggesting a risk to the continuity of public service delivery. The study also identified a pattern of increased investment during electoral periods, potentially indicating political-electoral influence over resource allocation. It is concluded that the indicators employed are useful for assessing municipal fiscal health, supporting analyses regarding the continuity of public service provision, and reinforcing the importance of financial and fiscal statements as instruments of transparency, accountability, and institutional legitimacy within the public sector.