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Fiscal Federalism and Procyclical Spending: The Cases of Argentina and Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Federico Sturzenegger

    (Universidad Torcuato Di Tella - Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University)

  • Rogério L. F. Werneck

    (Departamento de Economia, PUC-Rio)

Abstract

This paper studies the sources of procyclicality for the spending of subnational governments in Argentina and Brazil. We find that tax sharing schemes explain only a marginal share of the prociclicality of revenues, with most of the prociclicality coming from subnational government’s own resources. This is more so when the prociclicality of each source is measured vis a vis each jurisdiction’s output. Cross jurisdiction evidence supports the claim that procyclicality of spending results from the procyclicality of revenues, through the so called “voracity effect”. The conclusion is that the debate on prociclical subnational spending should focus on improving the tax collection schemes at the local level and not on reforming the tax sharing agreements.

Suggested Citation

  • Federico Sturzenegger & Rogério L. F. Werneck, 2006. "Fiscal Federalism and Procyclical Spending: The Cases of Argentina and Brazil," Económica, Departamento de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, vol. 0(1-2), pages 151-194, January-D.
    • Handle: RePEc:lap:journl:551
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Meloni, Osvaldo, 2016. "Turning a blind eye to policy prescriptions. Exploring the sources of procyclical fiscal behavior at subnational level," MPRA Paper 70541, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Martín Besfamille & N. Grosman & D. Jorrat & O. Manzano & P. Sanguinetti, 2017. "Public Expenditures and Debt at the Subnational Level: Evidence of Fiscal Smoothing from Argentina," Documentos de Trabajo 482, Instituto de Economia. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile..
    3. Raúl Alberto Sosa, 2022. "Hegemonías Provinciales: el Gasto Público, la Inversión y las Cortes Supremas de Justicia Provinciales," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4601, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    4. Ethan Ilzetzki & Carlos A. Vegh, 2008. "Procyclical Fiscal Policy in Developing Countries: Truth or Fiction?," NBER Working Papers 14191, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Hongsheng Fang & Minyuan He & Dandan Dang & Jun Zhang, 2020. "Endogenous cyclical corporate tax burden in China: The role of tax quotas and growth targets," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(12), pages 3314-3339, December.
    6. Azevedo, Joao Pedro & David, Antonio C. & Bastos, Fabiano Rodrigues & Pineda, Emilio, 2014. "Fiscal adjustment and income inequality : sub-national evidence from Brazil," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6945, The World Bank.
    7. Aline Gadelha & José Angelo Divino, 2021. "Institutions and Cyclicality of the Fiscal and Monetary Policies in Brazil," International Journal of Economics and Finance, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(4), pages 1-25, April.
    8. Vegh, Carlos A. & Vuletin, Guillermo, 2015. "Unsticking the flypaper effect in an uncertain world," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 142-155.
    9. Carlos A. Vegh y Guillermo Vuletin, 2016. "Unsticking the flypaper effect using distortionary taxation," Económica, Departamento de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, vol. 62, pages 185-237, January-D.
    10. Besfamille, Martín & Jorrat, Diego A. & Manzano, Osmel & Quiroga, Bernardo F. & Sanguinetti, Pablo, 2023. "How do subnational governments react to shocks to different revenue sources? Evidence from hydrocarbon-producing provinces in Argentina," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    11. Abbott, Andrew & Cabral, René & Jones, Philip & Palacios, Roberto, 2015. "Political pressure and procyclical expenditure: An analysis of the expenditures of state governments in Mexico," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 195-206.
    12. John Thornton & Amine Mati, 2008. "Fiscal Institutions and the Relation between Central and Sub-National Government Fiscal Balances," Public Finance Review, , vol. 36(2), pages 243-254, March.
    13. Daniel Artana & Sebastian Auguste & Marcela Cristini & Cynthia Moskovitz & Ivana Templado, 2012. "Sub-National Revenue Mobilization in Latin American and Caribbean Countries: The Case of Argentina," Research Department Publications 4765, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    14. Hongsheng Fang & Wen‐Quan Hu & Ruhua Shi & Xufei Zhang, 2023. "The Chinese‐style macroeconomic control: The role of state‐owned enterprises," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3), pages 702-725, March.
    15. Wulff Gobetti, Sérgio & Afonso, José Roberto Rodrigues, 2015. "Impactos das reformas tributárias e dos gastos públicos sobre o cresciento e os investimentos: O caso do Brasil," Macroeconomía del Desarrollo 39363, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Procyclicality of government expenditures & resources; tax sharing schemes; sources of procyclicality; Argentina; Brazil;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E6 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook
    • H7 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations

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