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Identifying Tax-Setting Responses from Local Fiscal Policy Programs

Author

Listed:
  • Valeria Merlo
  • Andreas Schanbacher
  • Georg U. Thunecke
  • Georg Wamser

Abstract

This paper studies tax policy interaction among local governments for both mobile and immobile tax bases. We exploit exogenous changes in the local tax setting of German municipalities due to participation in state debt reduction programs to learn about the size, scope and nature of strategic interaction among local governments. Our results suggest strong and significant tax policy responses both in corporate as well as in property tax rates. Our estimates imply response function gradients in the range of 0.3 to 0.7, depending on the type of tax and state. Policy spillovers from property tax rates remain very local, which is consistent with yardstick competition behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Valeria Merlo & Andreas Schanbacher & Georg U. Thunecke & Georg Wamser, 2023. "Identifying Tax-Setting Responses from Local Fiscal Policy Programs," CESifo Working Paper Series 10473, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_10473
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    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp10473.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Thiess Büttner & Fédéric Holm-Hadulla, 2008. "Fiscal Equalization: The Case of German Municipalities," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 6(1), pages 16-20, 04.
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    3. David R. Agrawal, 2015. "The Tax Gradient: Spatial Aspects of Fiscal Competition," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 7(2), pages 1-29, May.
    4. Baskaran, Thushyanthan, 2014. "Identifying local tax mimicking with administrative borders and a policy reform," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 41-51.
    5. Feld, Lars P. & Kirchgassner, Gebhard, 2001. "Income tax competition at the State and Local Level in Switzerland," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(2-3), pages 181-213, April.
    6. Bordignon, Massimo & Cerniglia, Floriana & Revelli, Federico, 2003. "In search of yardstick competition: a spatial analysis of Italian municipality property tax setting," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(2), pages 199-217, September.
    7. Maarten Allers & J. Elhorst, 2005. "Tax Mimicking and Yardstick Competition Among Local Governments in the Netherlands," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 12(4), pages 493-513, August.
    8. David R. Agrawal & William H. Hoyt & John D. Wilson, 2022. "Local Policy Choice: Theory and Empirics," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 60(4), pages 1378-1455, December.
    9. Beatrix Eugster & Raphaël Parchet, 2019. "Culture and Taxes," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 127(1), pages 296-337.
    10. Bev Dahlby, 2008. "The Marginal Cost of Public Funds: Theory and Applications," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262042509, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    local public finance; tax competition; yardstick competition; spatial interaction; tax setting; marginal cost of public funds;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H73 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Interjurisdictional Differentials and Their Effects
    • R59 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Other

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