This article examines the integration of local governments into Russia's unified public au-thority system.
Integration is considered as a multivariate process, substantively consisting of normative-organizational, administrative and value-based directions, the basis of which is the «efficiency principle».
The «efficiency principle» is substantiated as a value basis and criterion for assessing inter-actions between state and local government bodies within a unified public authority system. This principle requires achieving significant public policy results within established goals and indica-tors, while adhering to deadlines, ensuring reasonable costs, and ensuring the verifiability of ac-tions and decisions aimed at improving the population's quality of life based on legally significant indicators.