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Efficient Revenue Sharing and Upper Level Governments: Theory and Application to Germany

Author

Listed:
  • Thiess Büttner
  • Sebastian Hauptmeier
  • Robert Schwager
Abstract
Recent literature has emphasized that redistributive grant systems may tend to internalize fiscal externalities arising from tax competition. This paper further explores the conditions under which local grant systems enforced by the state government will enhance efficiency. A system of redistributive grants among governments is introduced into a standard model of tax competition. This basic model is then extended in order to allow for variations in the government objectives at the state level. A subsequent empirical analysis of local tax policy exploits the experience with local fiscal revenue sharing in Germany. The results suggest that attempts of state level governments to extract fiscal resources from the local revenue sharing system exert an upward pressure on tax rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Thiess Büttner & Sebastian Hauptmeier & Robert Schwager, 2006. "Efficient Revenue Sharing and Upper Level Governments: Theory and Application to Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 1656, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_1656
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Petra Ens, 2009. "Tax competition and equalization: the impact of voluntary cooperation on the efficiency goal," Working Papers 2009/16, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    2. Hauptmeier, Sebastian, 2007. "Intergovernmental grants and public input provision: theory and evidence from Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 07-006, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Christos Kotsogiannis, 2010. "Federal tax competition and the efficiency consequences for local taxation of revenue equalization," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 17(1), pages 1-14, February.
    4. Christian Kelders & Marko Koethenbuerger, 2010. "Tax incentives in fiscal federalism: an integrated perspective," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(2), pages 683-703, May.
    5. Sotiris Karkalakos & Christos Kotsogiannis, 2007. "A spatial analysis of provincial corporate income tax responses: evidence from Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 40(3), pages 782-811, August.
    6. Yannick Bury & Lars P. Feld & Heiko T. Burret, 2024. "Skimming the achieved? Quantifying the fiscal incentives of the German fiscal equalization scheme and its reforms since 1970," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 291-334, September.
    7. Miyazaki, Takeshi, 2020. "Intergovernmental fiscal transfers and tax efforts: Regression-discontinuity analysis for Japanese local governments," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    8. Yongzheng Liu, 2014. "Does competition for capital discipline governments? The role of fiscal equalization," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 21(3), pages 345-374, June.
    9. Miyazaki, Takeshi, 2016. "Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers and Tax Efforts: Evidence from Japan," MPRA Paper 74337, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Holm-Hadulla, Fédéric, 2020. "Fiscal equalization and the tax structure," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. Thiess Büttner & Petra Enß & Fédéric Holm-Hadulla & Robert Schwager & Christiane Starbatty & Wiebke Webering, 2010. "Der kommunale Finanzausgleich in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern : langfristige Entwicklung und Reformperspektiven ; Teil I: Der vertikale Finanzausgleich ; Gutachten im Auftrag des Innenministeriums des Lande," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 45, September.
    12. Mr. Thomas Dalsgaard, 2008. "Japan’s Corporate Income Tax—Overview and Challenges," IMF Working Papers 2008/070, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fiscal equalization; tax competition; fiscal federalism; Germany;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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