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Evidence on the Distributional Effects of a Land Value Tax on Residential Households

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  • Plummer, Elizabeth

Abstract

This study examines how replacing a uniform property tax with a land value tax (LVT) would shift the tax burden for single-family residential properties in Tarrant County, Texas, over the period 1997–2006. Results suggest that a LVT would shift the tax burden away from single-family properties and on to other property classes. For the more recent years in the sample, the average tax liability for single-family properties would decrease about 30 percent, regardless of household income, and Suits Indices suggest that, within residential properties, a LVT would be slightly more progressive than a property tax. Horizontal equity problems would be greatest for the lowest-valued properties relative to other properties. This study also examines how a LVT would change property values due to the effects of tax capitalization.

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  • Plummer, Elizabeth, 2010. "Evidence on the Distributional Effects of a Land Value Tax on Residential Households," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 63(1), pages 63-92, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:63:y:2010:i:1:p:63-92
    DOI: 10.17310/ntj.2010.1.03
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    2. Larson, William D. & Shui, Jessica, 2022. "Land valuation using public records and kriging: Implications for land versus property taxation in cities," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(PA).
    3. Rafael Barbosa & Simon Skipka, 2019. "Tax Housing or Land? Distributional Effects of Property Taxation in Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 8039, CESifo.
    4. Gregor Schwerhoff & Ottmar Edenhofer & Marc Fleurbaey, 2020. "Taxation Of Economic Rents," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(2), pages 398-423, April.
    5. Kalkuhl, Matthias & Fernandez Milan, Blanca & Schwerhoff, Gregor & Jakob, Michael & Hahnen, Maren & Creutzig, Felix, 2018. "Can land taxes foster sustainable development? An assessment of fiscal, distributional and implementation issues," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 338-352.
    6. Joshua M. Duke & TianHang Gao, 2023. "Land Value Taxation: A Spatially Explicit Economic Experiment with Endogenous Institutions," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 673-694, November.
    7. Sharma, Rohit & Newman, Peter, 2018. "Can land value capture make PPP's competitive in fares? A Mumbai case study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 123-131.
    8. Murray, Cameron & Hermans, Jesse Benjamin, 2019. "Land value is a progressive and efficient property tax base: Evidence from Victoria," OSF Preprints mxg3j, Center for Open Science.

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