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Volatile earmarked revenues and state highway expenditures in the United States

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  • Phuong Nguyen-Hoang

Abstract

Heavy use of transportation-related revenues earmarked for highways is one of the distinguishing characteristics of state highway finance in the United States. This is the first study to examine the potentially differential effects of earmarked revenue volatility on state highway expenditures. Using panel data for over 30 years, I found in both OLS and 2SLS estimations that state highway expenditures did not respond to upward cyclical deviations in earmarked revenues. Also, a one-percentage-point downward deviation of earmarked revenues from trend was associated with a decline of between 0.24 and 0.32 % in state highway expenditures. This finding has potential policy implications for state budgets and efforts to maintain or expand transportation infrastructure and, by extension, efforts to spur economic growth. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Phuong Nguyen-Hoang, 2015. "Volatile earmarked revenues and state highway expenditures in the United States," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(2), pages 237-256, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:transp:v:42:y:2015:i:2:p:237-256
    DOI: 10.1007/s11116-014-9534-5
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    2. William B. Hankins & Frank Goetzke & Gary Hoover, 2019. "Partisan Determinants of Federal Highway Grants," The Review of Regional Studies, Southern Regional Science Association, vol. 49(3), pages 389-406.
    3. Cruz, Carlos Oliveira & Sarmento, Joaquim Miranda, 2018. "The price of project finance loans for highways," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 161-172.

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