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On The Determinants Of Local Tax Rates: New Evidence From Spain

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  • Francisco J. Delgado
  • Santiago Lago-Peñas
  • Matías Mayor

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="coep12075-abs-0001"> This article examines the determinants of local tax rates. For the two main local taxes in Spain—the property tax and the motor vehicle tax—we test the existence of tax mimicking, yardstick competition, and political trends in a sample of 2,713 municipalities. Using various spatial models, the results support the hypothesis of tax mimicking, with coefficients above 0.40. We also show the relevance of political variables such as the ideology of incumbents and political fragmentation. The fact that incumbents with weaker political support exhibit stronger mimicking behavior is interpreted as evidence in favor of yardstick competition. Finally, we find that incumbents mimic neighboring municipalities ruled by the same political party, confirming the political trends hypothesis. ( JEL C31, H71, H77)

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco J. Delgado & Santiago Lago-Peñas & Matías Mayor, 2015. "On The Determinants Of Local Tax Rates: New Evidence From Spain," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 33(2), pages 351-368, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:coecpo:v:33:y:2015:i:2:p:351-368
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    5. Asmae AQZZOUZ & Michel DIMOU, 2022. "Tax mimicking in French counties," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 55, pages 113-132.
    6. Wang, Jian & Wu, Qun & Yan, Siqi & Guo, Guancheng & Peng, Shangui, 2020. "China’s local governments breaking the land use planning quota: A strategic interaction perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Fuess, Roland & Lerbs, Oliver, 2017. "Do Local Governments Tax Homeowner Communities Differently?," Working Papers on Finance 1714, University of St. Gallen, School of Finance.
    8. Trojanek, Maria & Kisiala, Wojciech & Trojanek, Radoslaw, 2021. "Do local governments follow their neighbours’ tax strategies? Tax mimicking amongst Polish municipalities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    9. Vallés-Giménez, Jaime & Zárate-Marco, Anabel, 2017. "Fungibility and bandwagon effects of capital transfers in a federal context," Economics Discussion Papers 2017-46, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    10. Julián Ramajo & Alejandro Ricci-Risquete & Lourdes Jerez & Geoffrey J. D. Hewings, 2020. "Impacts of Neighbors on Local Tax Rates: A Space–Time Dynamic Panel Data Analysis," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 43(1-2), pages 105-127, January.
    11. Laura Varela-Candamio & Fernando Rubiera Morollón & Gohar Sedrakyan, 2019. "Urban sprawl and local fiscal burden: analysing the Spanish case," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 177-203, February.
    12. Cong Yu & Linke Hou & Yuxia Lyu & Qi Zhang, 2022. "Political competition, spatial interactions, and default risk of local government debts in China," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(3), pages 717-743, June.
    13. Roland Füss & Oliver Lerbs, 2017. "Homeowner Effect and Strategic Interaction in Local Property Taxation," ERES eres2017_149, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
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    15. Marcel Gérard & Laurent van Malderen, 2012. "Tax Interaction among Walloon Municipalities: Is there Room for Yardstick Competition, Intellectual Trend and Partisan Monopoly Effect?," CESifo Working Paper Series 4025, CESifo.
    16. Ryan R. Brady, 2021. "Direct Forecasting for Applied Regional Analysis," Departmental Working Papers 67, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.
    17. Hory, Marie-Pierre, 2018. "Delayed mimicking: the timing of fiscal interactions in Europe," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 97-118.
    18. Liang, Cong & Hui, Eddie C.M. & Yip, Tsz Leung, 2018. "Time on market (TOM): The impact of new residential stamp duty," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 503(C), pages 1117-1130.
    19. Jaime Valles-Gimenez & Anabel Zarate-Marco, 2017. "Tax Effort of Local Governments and its Determinants: The Spanish Case," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 18(2), pages 323-348, November.
    20. Laurent Van Malderen & Marcel Gerard, 2013. "Testing yardstick competition through a vote-function: evidence from the Walloon municipalities," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 2(4), pages 206-214.
    21. Małkowska, Agnieszka & Telega, Agnieszka & Głuszak, Michał & Marona, Bartłomiej, 2021. "Spatial diversification of property tax policy – Searching for yardstick competition in Polish metropolitan areas," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
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    23. Francisco Bastida & Bernardino Benito & Maria-Dolores Guillamon, 2019. "Tax mimicking in Spanish municipalities: expenditure spillovers, yardstick competition, or tax competition?," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 43(2), pages 115-139.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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