The Foundation for Municipal Development conducts annual surveys covering opinions on local (municipal) democracy, local government, local economy and services. Respondents are generally local inhabitants, municipal managers and the chairpersons of municipal boards. The data enable comparison between the opinions of the inhabitants on the one hand, and the managers and chairpersons on the other. The surveys also study municipal managers' views on the policies of the Government of Finland and the functionality of local co-operation. The survey series was launched in 1992. The FSD collections cover data from 1992 to 2010.
In this survey, the respondents were asked to assess different means of improving the financial situation of Finnish municipalities. They estimated which public services and duties could be subjected to retrenchment if the municipalities were to cut down expenses, where economic measures had already been taken, and how the public services in general had developed during the past two years. In addition, they were asked which services they and their families had needed or used. The respondents then stated which services should be provided by the municipality, and which could be provided by, for example, the state, private enterprises, organisations, or the citizens themselves.
In addition, the respondents were monitored on attitudes towards the consolidations of municipalities. They were also asked to state their opinion on the temporary offices of municipal managers and senior civil servants, and on how the named officials should be elected.
Background variables included the respondent's occupational group, type of employment, gender, basic education, vocational education, province of residence, municipality of residence, marital status, political affilitation, household income, age structure of the household, type of neighbourhood, and number of household members.
The sample was collected in three phases. In the first phase, the target persons were divided by province. Then, within each province, the target persons were divided according to community type: communities were grouped in different types so that cities were divided to big and small according to population size, and rural communities in three classes according to industrial structure. In the third phase, a group of starting points were designated for each of the selected municipalities in relation to their population. Starting point method was used, and each randomly selected point resulted in six interviews. From each household the person who matched the gender and age requirements stated in the selection card was interviewed.