The interplay of place attachment, civic engagement, and taxation attitudes in Latvia’s local sustainable development

This study investigates relationships between place attachment, civic engagement, tax attitudes, and long-term commitment to locality in the context of sustainable municipal development. Drawing on a representative sample of 1,007 respondents in Latvia, it examines how emotional bonds with place, perceptions of tax fairness, and civic engagement influence residents’ willingness to fulfill their fiscal responsibilities and remain committed to their municipalities. The findings reveal statistically significant relationships between place attachment and the perception of paying taxes as a civic duty, as well as between perceived fairness in municipal tax spending and tax morale. Education emerges as a key factor in influencing attitudes toward tax compliance. Network analysis highlights place attachment and the desire to remain long term as central to a sustainable social-civic ecosystem. These results underscore the importance of fostering civic engagement, transparent governance, and educational initiatives to support fiscal sustainability and community resilience at the local level.