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Local Revenue Hills: Evidence from Four U. S. Cities

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Haughwout

    (Federal Reserve Bank of New York)

  • Robert Inman

    (Department of Finance, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania)

  • Steven G. Craig

    (Department of Economics, University of Houston)

  • Thomas Luce

    (Ameregis - Research, Minneapolis)

Abstract

We provide estimates of the impact and long-run elasticities of tax base with respect to tax rates for four large U.S. cities: Houston (property taxation), Minneapolis (property taxation), New York City (property, general sales, and income taxation), and Philadelphia (property, gross receipts, and wage taxation). Results suggest that three of our cities are near the peaks of their revenue hills; Minneapolis is the exception. A significant negative effect of a balanced budget increase in city property tax rates on city property base is interpreted as a capitalization effect and suggests that marginal increases in city spending do not provide positive net benefits to property owners. Estimates of the effects of taxes on city employment levels for New York City and Philadelphia -- the two cities for which employment series are available -- show the local income and wage tax rates have significant negative effects on city employment levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Haughwout & Robert Inman & Steven G. Craig & Thomas Luce, 2000. "Local Revenue Hills: Evidence from Four U. S. Cities," PIER Working Paper Archive 03-012, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania, revised 01 Mar 2003.
    • Handle: RePEc:pen:papers:03-012
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Local Taxation; City Fiscal Policy; Urban Economic Development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • R13 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - General Equilibrium and Welfare Economic Analysis of Regional Economies
    • R51 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Finance in Urban and Rural Economies

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