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(Uncontrolled) Aggregate Shocks or Vertical Tax Interdependence? Evidence From Gasoline and Cigarettes

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  • Esteller-Moré, Alejandro
  • Rizzo, Leonzio

Abstract

Besley and Rosen (1998) were the first researchers to test empirically for the presence of vertical tax externalities, examining the case of unit taxes on gasoline and tobacco. However, they did not take into account the price differences across states that arise because high cost areas pay less in real terms than low cost areas, since federal unit sales taxes on cigarettes and gasoline do not differ across states. Consequently, we propose that vertical tax competition can be estimated by using a federal tax variable that is expressed in real terms and thus shows crosssectional variation across states. To estimate real prices we deflate all financial variables using the House Price Index (HPI), which is disaggregated by states. This empirical strategy enables us to disentangle the vertical interdependence between state and federal tax rates from aggregate shocks over time. We use U.S. data from 1975–2006 on gasoline and tobacco taxes, and find significant horizontal tax competition, but no vertical tax reactions. The results are robust to the period analyzed.

Suggested Citation

  • Esteller-Moré, Alejandro & Rizzo, Leonzio, 2011. "(Uncontrolled) Aggregate Shocks or Vertical Tax Interdependence? Evidence From Gasoline and Cigarettes," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 64(2), pages 353-379, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:64:y:2011:i:2:p:353-79
    DOI: 10.17310/ntj.2011.2.05
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    Cited by:

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    3. Leonzio Rizzo & Alejandro Esteller - Moré, 2011. "US Excise Tax Horizontal Interdependence: Yardstick vs. Tax Competition," Working Papers 201116, University of Ferrara, Department of Economics.
    4. William F. Fox & Brian C. Hill & Matthew N. Murray, 2015. "Vertical Competition, Horizontal Competition, and Mobile Capital," Public Finance Review, , vol. 43(4), pages 431-457, July.
    5. Esteller-Moré, Alejandro & Galmarini, Umberto & Rizzo, Leonzio, 2012. "Vertical tax competition and consumption externalities in a federation with lobbying," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(3), pages 295-305.

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    JEL classification:

    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H3 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents

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