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On the determinants of local tax rates: new evidence from Spain

Author

Listed:
  • Francisco J. Delgado

    (University of Oviedo)

  • Santiago Lago-Peñas

    (REDE, IEB and University of Vigo)

  • Matías Mayor

    (University of Oviedo)

Abstract
This paper studies the determinants of local tax rates. For the two main local taxes in Spain - the property tax and the motor vehicle tax - we test the existence of tax mimicking, yardstick competition and political trends in a sample of 2,713 municipalities. Using different spatial models, the results support the hypothesis of tax mimicking, with coefficients over 0.40. We also show the relevance of political variables such as the ideology of the incumbents and political fragmentation. The fact that incumbents with weaker political support display stronger mimicking behaviour is interpreted as evidence in favour of yardstick competition. Finally, we find incumbents mimic neighbouring municipalities ruled by the same political party, confirming the political trends hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Francisco J. Delgado & Santiago Lago-Peñas & Matías Mayor, 2011. "On the determinants of local tax rates: new evidence from Spain," Working Papers 2011/4, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    • Handle: RePEc:ieb:wpaper:doc2011-4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Sanz-Córdoba, Patricia, 2020. "The role of infrastructure investment and factor productivity in international tax competition," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 30-38.
    3. Asmae AQZZOUZ & Michel DIMOU, 2022. "Tax mimicking in French counties," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 55, pages 113-132.
    4. Laura Varela-Candamio & Fernando Rubiera Morollón & Gohar Sedrakyan, 2019. "Urban sprawl and local fiscal burden: analysing the Spanish case," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(1), pages 177-203, February.
    5. Roland Füss & Oliver Lerbs, 2017. "Homeowner Effect and Strategic Interaction in Local Property Taxation," ERES eres2017_149, European Real Estate Society (ERES).
    6. repec:cuf:journl:y:2017:v:18:i:1:valles-gimenez is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Marcel Gérard & Laurent van Malderen, 2012. "Tax Interaction among Walloon Municipalities: Is there Room for Yardstick Competition, Intellectual Trend and Partisan Monopoly Effect?," CESifo Working Paper Series 4025, CESifo.
    8. Füss, Roland & Lerbs, Oliver, 2017. "Do local governments tax homeowner communities differently?," ZEW Discussion Papers 17-036, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    9. Jaime Valles-Gimenez & Anabel Zarate-Marco, 2017. "Tax Effort of Local Governments and its Determinants: The Spanish Case," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 18(2), pages 323-348, November.
    10. Małkowska, Agnieszka & Telega, Agnieszka & Głuszak, Michał & Marona, Bartłomiej, 2021. "Spatial diversification of property tax policy – Searching for yardstick competition in Polish metropolitan areas," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    11. Lenka Malicka, 2018. "Political Expenditure Cycle in V4 Countries," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 14(3), pages 163-176.
    12. Prianto Budi Saptono & Gustofan Mahmud, 2023. "Stimulus or Enforcement? How Intergovernmental Transfers Crowd-in Local Taxes in Indonesia," Public Finance Review, , vol. 51(6), pages 782-837, November.
    13. J. Sebastian Leguizamon & Casto Martin Montero Kuscevic, 2019. "Party Cues, Political Trends, And Fiscal Interactions In The United States," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 37(4), pages 600-620, October.
    14. Wang, Jian & Wu, Qun & Yan, Siqi & Guo, Guancheng & Peng, Shangui, 2020. "China’s local governments breaking the land use planning quota: A strategic interaction perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    15. Trojanek, Maria & Kisiala, Wojciech & Trojanek, Radoslaw, 2021. "Do local governments follow their neighbours’ tax strategies? Tax mimicking amongst Polish municipalities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    16. Vallés-Giménez, Jaime & Zárate-Marco, Anabel, 2017. "Fungibility and bandwagon effects of capital transfers in a federal context," Economics Discussion Papers 2017-46, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    17. Julián Ramajo & Alejandro Ricci-Risquete & Lourdes Jerez & Geoffrey J. D. Hewings, 2020. "Impacts of Neighbors on Local Tax Rates: A Space–Time Dynamic Panel Data Analysis," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 43(1-2), pages 105-127, January.
    18. Cong Yu & Linke Hou & Yuxia Lyu & Qi Zhang, 2022. "Political competition, spatial interactions, and default risk of local government debts in China," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(3), pages 717-743, June.
    19. Ryan R. Brady, 2021. "Direct Forecasting for Applied Regional Analysis," Departmental Working Papers 67, United States Naval Academy Department of Economics.
    20. Hory, Marie-Pierre, 2018. "Delayed mimicking: the timing of fiscal interactions in Europe," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 97-118.
    21. Liang, Cong & Hui, Eddie C.M. & Yip, Tsz Leung, 2018. "Time on market (TOM): The impact of new residential stamp duty," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 503(C), pages 1117-1130.
    22. Laurent Van Malderen & Marcel Gerard, 2013. "Testing yardstick competition through a vote-function: evidence from the Walloon municipalities," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 2(4), pages 206-214.
    23. Francisco Bastida & Bernardino Benito & Maria-Dolores Guillamon, 2019. "Tax mimicking in Spanish municipalities: expenditure spillovers, yardstick competition, or tax competition?," Public Sector Economics, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 43(2), pages 115-139.
    24. Andres Felipe Muñoz, 2016. "Strategic fiscal interactions among local Governments in Colombia," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 219(4), pages 161-188, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Local taxation; tax mimicking; yardstick competition; political trends;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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