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The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level When All Income is Taxed

Author

Listed:
  • Pedro Gomis-Porqueras
  • Solmaz Moslehi
  • Vivianne Vilar

Abstract

In this paper we explore how the nature of the equilibria changes when the interest income from nominal bond holdings is also taxed in an fully flexible endowment economy. We find that the stability properties of this economy depend on the slope and the intercept of both monetary and fiscal policy rules. Thus, the parameter space consistent with locally determinate equilibria is much larger compared to that of Leeper (1991). For instance, deviations from the Taylor principle can still yield determinate equilibria even when fiscal policy does not aggressively respond to rises in debt levels. In addition, we show that if the government taxes all sources of income and the fiscal authority sets taxes taking into account the level of debt, then the economy exhibits a Laffer curve yielding multiple steady states. As we can see, ignoring the tax treatment of interest income generated by bond holdings is not as innocuous as it may seem.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro Gomis-Porqueras & Solmaz Moslehi & Vivianne Vilar, 2013. "The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level When All Income is Taxed," Monash Economics Working Papers 09-13, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2013-09
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    File URL: http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/eco/research/papers/2013/0913fiscalporquerasmoslehivilar.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Taxes; Bond Income; Laffer Curve; Monetary and Fiscal Policy Interactions.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Bayesian Analysis: General
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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