The pattern of local general administration spending in Indonesian regions during 2017–2024 indicates that bureaucratic expenditure consistently absorbed a large share of regional budgets. Average administration spending remained relatively stable at around 31–34% of total expenditure, with a temporary decline to 31.20% in 2021 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic as regional governments reallocated budgets toward health and social protection programs. However, the average share increased again to 34.12% in 2024, suggesting the re-expansion of bureaucratic and operational spending in the post-pandemic period. Significant regional disparities also emerged, particularly in Papua, where districts such as Puncak (66.23%), Puncak Jaya (61.45%), and Yalimo (59.92%) allocated more than half of their budgets to administrative expenditure. These figures indicate that operational and personnel costs continue to dominate local fiscal structures in several underdeveloped regions, potentially limiting the fiscal space available for public services and development spending.