Optimization of Urban Budget Allocation Based on Spatial Justice Indicators (Case: Mashhad Metropolis)

One of the main responsibilities of urban managers is to create justice in the area of fair and equal access of citizens to urban services. By objective realization of spatial justice concept, while providing the citizens with the appropriate services, the ground of reducing urban problems is prepared. Spatial justice is one of the main concepts of sustainable urban development. This can be achieved by making the right decision about the allocation of the city budget. Recognizing prosperous and non-prosperous areas fair and informed allocation of financial resources among urban areas require the use of a technique that takes into account different and sometimes conflicting criteria for decision making. In this research, using PROMETHEE V-C technique, it has been tried to examine Mashhad metropolitan financial resources to thirteen areas, taking into account the criteria of spatial justice, in the form of a case study. The results indicate that the holy city of Mashhad is not in desirable position in terms of spatial justice indicators. Samen area is recognized as the most prosperous and district 3 as the most deprived area in the city of Mashhad. The high ability of the proposed technique to allocate budget equitably with multiple indicators has been shown in this study; therefore, this technique can be used as an effective tool for urban decision-making.