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Direct Versus Indirect Federal Bond Subsidies: New Evidence on Cost of Capital

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  • Martin J. Luby
  • Peter Orr
  • Richard Ryffel

Abstract

The longstanding debate surrounding the most effective way for the U.S. federal government to subsidize state and local government capital‐raising received renewed attention in recent years due to the passage and subsequent expiration of the taxable Build America Bond (BAB) program. Recent academic studies, as well as reports from the U.S. Treasury Department, claim that the direct subsidy approach as evidenced by the BAB program provides greater bond borrowing cost benefits to state and local governments compared to traditional tax‐exempt bonds. This research investigates the extent to which such borrowing cost benefits may be overstated since it appears previous studies did not adequately account for the early call optionality of tax‐exempt bonds.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin J. Luby & Peter Orr & Richard Ryffel, 2021. "Direct Versus Indirect Federal Bond Subsidies: New Evidence on Cost of Capital," Public Budgeting & Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 76-120, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:pbudge:v:41:y:2021:i:1:p:76-120
    DOI: 10.1111/pbaf.12278
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James M. Poterba & Arturo Ramirez Verdugo, 2008. "Portfolio Substitution and the Revenue Cost of Exempting State and Local Government Interest Payments from Federal Income Tax," NBER Working Papers 14439, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Francis A. Longstaff, 2011. "Municipal Debt and Marginal Tax Rates: Is There a Tax Premium in Asset Prices?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(3), pages 721-751, June.
    3. W. M. Boyce & A. J. Kalotay, 1979. "Optimum Bond Calling and Refunding," Interfaces, INFORMS, vol. 9(5), pages 36-49, November.
    4. Gao Liu & Dwight V. Denison, 2014. "Indirect and Direct Subsidies for the Cost of Government Capital: Comparing Tax-Exempt Bonds and Build America Bonds," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 67(3), pages 569-594, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Guo, Si & Pei, Yun & Xie, Zoe, 2022. "A dynamic model of fiscal decentralization and public debt accumulation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).

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