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Estimating the Social Marginal Cost of Public Funds

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  • Shun-ichiro Bessho
  • Masayoshi Hayashi

Abstract

In this study, we recast the formula of the social marginal cost of public funds (SMCF) and highlight the role of what we call individual marginal costs of public funds (IMCF). After elaborating on aspects of distributional weights, we estimate the wage elasticity of labor supply and the IMCFs on a household basis. This allows us to explore not only the distributions of the elasticity and the IMCFs but also their relations to household income, which helps us assess the assumptions made in previous studies. Further, we use the SMCF estimates to evaluate the system of personal income taxes in Japan.

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  • Shun-ichiro Bessho & Masayoshi Hayashi, 2013. "Estimating the Social Marginal Cost of Public Funds," Public Finance Review, , vol. 41(3), pages 360-385, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:41:y:2013:i:3:p:360-385
    DOI: 10.1177/1091142113475699
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    Cited by:

    1. Shun-ichiro Bessho & Masayoshi Hayashi, 2015. "Should the Japanese tax system be more progressive? An evaluation using the simulated SMCFs based on the discrete choice model of labor supply," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 22(1), pages 144-175, February.
    2. Miyazaki, Takeshi & Ishida, Ryo, 2022. "Estimating the elasticity of taxable income: Evidence from top Japanese taxpayers," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    3. Nigar HASHIMZADE & Gareth MYLES, 2009. "Cost-benefit analysis and the marginal cost of public funds," Departmental Working Papers 2009-29, Department of Economics, Management and Quantitative Methods at Università degli Studi di Milano.

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    Keywords

    social marginal cost of public funds; distributional weights; progressive taxation; Japan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H41 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Public Goods
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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