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Distortionary Taxation and Optimal Public Spending on Productive Activities

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Abstract

Using a general-equilibrium model with endogenous factor supplies, this article investigates the provision of factor-augmenting public inputs. Such inputs are intermediate goods that affect production functions in a collective manner and give rise to increasing returns. Unlike with collective consumption goods, deviation from the first-best condition for a public input is inappropriate if taxes are set optimally. When taxes are not optimal, a second-best rule must include a feedback effect on revenue as well as the deadweight cost of taxes. Implications for benefit-cost analysis and for interpretation of estimates of the social returns to public capital are explored. Copyright 2002, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • James P. Feehan, 2002. "Distortionary Taxation and Optimal Public Spending on Productive Activities," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 40(1), pages 60-68, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:ecinqu:v:40:y:2002:i:1:p:60-68
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    Cited by:

    1. Diego Martínez, 2008. "Optimal Federal Taxes with Public Inputs," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 64(4), pages 422-433, December.
    2. Diego Martínez López, 2004. "Vertical externalities in the provision of public inputs," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2004/47, Centro de Estudios Andaluces.
    3. A. Sanchez & Diego Martinez, 2011. "Optimization in Non-Standard Problems. An Application to the Provision of Public Inputs," Computational Economics, Springer;Society for Computational Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 13-38, January.
    4. Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba & José L. Torres, 2007. "Fiscal Harmonization in the Presence of Public Inputs," Economic Working Papers at Centro de Estudios Andaluces E2007/08, Centro de Estudios Andaluces.
    5. Felicity C Barker & Robert A Buckle & Robert W St Clair, 2008. "Roles of Fiscal Policy in New Zealand," Treasury Working Paper Series 08/02, New Zealand Treasury.
    6. Diego Martínez-López, 2018. "Vertical Externalities Revisited: New Results with Public Inputs and Unit Taxation," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 225(2), pages 11-30, June.
    7. Fernández-de-Córdoba, Gonzalo & Torres, José L., 2012. "Fiscal harmonization in the European Union with public inputs," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 2024-2034.
    8. Dobdinga Fonchamnyo & Molem Sama, 2016. "Determinants of public spending efficiency in education and health: evidence from selected CEMAC countries," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 40(1), pages 199-210, January.
    9. Sok-Gee Chan Mohd & Zaini Abd Karim, 2012. "Public Spending Efficiency And Political And Economic Factors: Evidence From Selected East Asian Countries," Economic Annals, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Belgrade, vol. 57(193), pages 7-24, April- Ju.
    10. repec:ebl:ecbull:v:8:y:2004:i:3:p:1-9 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. José Luis Torres Chacon, 2015. "Introduction to Dynamic Macroeconomic General Equilibrium Models," Vernon Press Titles in Economics, Vernon Art and Science Inc, edition 2, number 54, July.
    12. Diego Martinez Lopez & A. Jesus Sanchez Fuentes, 2006. "On the optimal level of public inputs," Working Papers 06.34, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Economics, revised Mar 2008.
    13. Diego Martínez López, 2005. "On states’ behavior with equalization grants," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 174(3), pages 43-54, September.
    14. Diego Martinez-Lopez, 2004. "The optimal provision of public inputs in a second best scenario," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 8(3), pages 1-9.
    15. Riadh Brini & Hatem Jemmali, 2015. "Public Spending Efficiency, Governance, and Political and Economic Policies: is there a Substantial Casual Relation? Evidence from Selected MENA Countries," Working Papers 947, Economic Research Forum, revised Sep 2015.
    16. A. Jesus Sanchez Fuentes & Diego Martinez Lopez, 2006. "A new approach to solve non-regular constrained optimization problems. An application to optimal provision of public inputs," Working Papers 06.35, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Department of Economics.
    17. Martin Zagler & Georg Dürnecker, 2003. "Fiscal Policy and Economic Growth," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 17(3), pages 397-418, July.
    18. Francisca Guedes de Oliveira, 2016. "Government Size versus Government Efficiency in a Model of Economic Growth," Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences, Eurasian Publications, vol. 4(2), pages 38-55.
    19. Diego Martinez & A. Sanchez, 2010. "A note on the optimal level of public inputs," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 34(3), pages 363-369, March.
    20. T. Daniel Woodbury, 2020. "The provision of infrastructure: benefit–cost criteria for optimizing local governments," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(3), pages 552-574, June.
    21. José Luis Torres Chacon, 2015. "Introduction to Dynamic Macroeconomic General Equilibrium Models [Second Edition, Paperback]," Vernon Press Titles in Economics, Vernon Art and Science Inc, edition 2, number 44.

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