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State and Local Sales Taxes and Business Activity in the United States

Author

Listed:
  • Saxon, Nicholas

    (U.S. Census Bureau)

  • Tosun, Mehmet S.

    (University of Nevada, Reno)

  • Yang, Jingjing

    (University of Nevada, Reno)

Abstract

There has been an increasing reliance on sales taxation in both the states and counties in the United States. In this paper, we are examining the relationship between state and local sales taxation and business activity in the U.S. by utilizing county-level data for the period 2002-2011. We have found significant negative association between the state and county combined sales tax rate and annual payroll of businesses particularly in the manufacturing sector. There is also evidence of spatial dependence particularly in the payroll response of businesses within the contiguous region. While we found no significant relationship with employment, there is also statistically significant negative association with retail establishments and small establishments with less than 10 employees. It is possible that businesses respond to a sales tax rate increase first, or more directly, by reducing payroll rather than employment. While the economic significance of these results, however, is not found to be overwhelmingly strong, policymakers should still pay attention particularly to how manufacturing businesses respond to sales tax rate tax changes in the form of changes in payroll, and the responses from the small retail establishments.

Suggested Citation

  • Saxon, Nicholas & Tosun, Mehmet S. & Yang, Jingjing, 2015. "State and Local Sales Taxes and Business Activity in the United States," IZA Discussion Papers 9413, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp9413
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    state and county sales tax; business activity; payroll; employment; number and size of establishments; United States;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • 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
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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