Base independence in the analysis of tax policy effects: with an application to Norway 1992–2004

The analysis contrasts results of two recently expounded microlevel data approaches to derive robust intertemporal characterizations of redistributional effects of income tax schedules; the fixed-income procedure of Kasten et al. (Tax progressivity and Income Inequality, Cambridge University Press, 1994) and the transplant-and-compare method of Dardanoni and Lambert (J. Public Econ. 86:99–122, 2002). Our study is normative in that the Blackorby and Donaldson (Can. J. Econ. 17:683–694, 1984) index of tax progressivity is employed. This enables contributions from vertical redistribution and horizontal inequity also to be assessed, using for the latter one classical measure and one no reranking measure. When the competing methodologies are applied to Norwegian data for 1992–2004, their respective strengths and weaknesses are revealed. The transplant-and-compare procedure is found to have a number of advantages.      

A new test for equitable real estate tax assessment

Paglin and Fogarty (1972) proposed a correct conceptual view of equitable property tax assessment, but attempts to find an empirical test of their model have become mired in technical issues. The new empirical test proposed here is based on the notion that the market value of an individual property is essentially unobservable.Empirical results for 52 towns in Connecticut show that the new model (a 2SLS procedure) removes a substantial part of the biases present in other tests. Moreover, the 2SLS procedure provides a method for removing the time trend from sales prices. Thus, sales prices can be adjusted to the date of assessed value allowing evaluation of assessment practices as opposed to assessment lags. This refines previous approaches, and it substantially expands the number of transactions that can be used to evaluate equity in property tax assessment practices.     

我国开征物业税有关问题的研究

《中共中央关于完善社会主义市场经济若干问题的决定》中提出:“实施城镇建设税费改革, 条件具备时对不动产开征统一规范的物业税,相应取消有关收费。”物业税的开征成为新一轮税制改革诸项税改举措中令理论界、实业界、普通百姓重点关注的内容。本文重点分析了我国现行房地产税制的现状及存在的主要问题,论述了开征物业税的难点和必要性,并对我国开征物业税提出了初步设想。     

Factors Influencing Interest Rates on Delinquent Property Tax Certificates

This study examines the market for delinquent property tax certificates, a commonly used enforcement mechanism in property tax systems around the United States. We model the value of such certificates using a continuous-time framework and propose a statistical model that allows testing for factors that affect interest rates charged by investors who purchase the certificates as investment instruments. Using sample data from tax certificate sales in Florida from 1982 to 2000, we find that interest rates on certificates are negatively and significantly related to assessed property value and homestead status, and positively related to local ownership. We find an inverse relationship between interest rates and the number of certificates purchased by the certificate investor, indicating a significant clientele effect in this market. We also find that the implied effective tax rate is positively related to the interest rates charged by investors. Overall, the findings provide insight into the function of this unique market niche.     

Tax Mimicking and Yardstick Competition Among Local Governments in the Netherlands

This paper provides a spatial-econometric analysis of the setting of property tax rates by Dutch municipalities. We find evidence of tax mimicking: a ten percent higher property tax rate in neighboring municipalities leads to a 3.5 percent higher tax rate. Mimicking is less pronounced in municipalities governed by coalitions backed by a large majority. This points to yardstick competition as the most likely source of tax mimicking. We also find that Dutch voters seem to be able to penalize incumbents for anticipated tax rate differentials, but not for unanticipated tax rate differentials. This limits the effectiveness of yardstick competition as a mechanism to reduce political rent-seeking.JEL Code: D72, H71     

Urban Sprawl and the Property Tax

This paper explores the connection between the property tax and urban sprawl. While the tax's depressing effect on improvements reduces population density, spurring the spatial expansion of cities, a countervailing effect from lower dwelling sizes may dominate, raising densities and making cities smaller. The analysis shows that this latter outcome is guaranteed under CES preferences when the elasticity of substitution is high. But numerical results for the Leontief case (where is zero) suggest that the property tax encourages urban sprawl when substitution between housing and other goods is low. Thus, the distortions generated by the property tax may include inefficient spatial expansion of cities, suggesting the tax may belong on the list of causal factors identified by critics of urban sprawl.     

Two-Rate Property Tax Effects on Land Development

Economists have long understood that the conventional property tax causes the housing stock to be smaller than it would be in the presence of a nondistortionary tax such as a land or site value tax. This article brings together the results from models of housing development timing and structural density with the results of a modern model of a graded property tax in an urban setting. The combination of results is used to investigate the effects of a communitys movement from a property tax to a two-rate tax system where land is taxed at a higher rate than structures. The conditions under which increasing reliance on a land or site value tax will increase housing structural density and speed of development are identified and examined. Policy implications are drawn.     

Gini Indices and the Redistribution of Income

Just as the Gini inequality index captures people's relative deprivation (Yitzhaki, 1979), so, we show in this paper, Gini-based progressivity and horizontal inequity indices capture individual perceptions of relative fiscal harshness and ill-fortune. In fact, we find that these links between individualistic perceptions and the measurement of the distribution and redistribution of income generalise to the family of indices based on the extended Ginis of Donaldson and Weymark (1980) and Yitzhaki (1983). Through 'leaky bucket' experiments, we also suggest how we can parameterise the inequality aversion present in these indices. Analysis of the Canadian gross and net income distributions (conducted using recently developed statistical inference procedures) shows the distribution and the aggregation of these individual indicators of relative deprivation, fiscal harshness and ill-fortune in 1981 and in 1990.     

Horizontal Inequity and Vertical Redistribution with Indirect Taxes: The Greek Case*

Non‐uniform indirect taxes treat equals and those unequal differently (horizontal inequity and vertical redistribution). Horizontal inequity is caused by taste differences among similar households, but some excises are designed to reflect social, not revealed, preferences. We apply two methodologies for decomposing the overall redistributive effect of the present and three alternative indirect tax structures into vertical and horizontal effects for Greece, using the 1998–99 Household Expenditure Survey micro‐database. In all cases, the taste component is considerable, even when we allow for social preferences, while improvements in vertical redistribution can be achieved, albeit at the cost of increased horizontal inequity.     

Tax Evasion and Equity Theory: An Investigative Approach

Traditional economic theory assumes rational individuals with stable preferences who, given an array of options and probabilities, maximize their expected utility. However, experimental research finds that individuals make systematic mistakes when attempting to maximize their expected utility. The economic psychology approach includes aspects of the traditional economic approach and the psychological approach that emphasizes values, attitudes, norms, conformity and morals.This paper investigates equity theory and tax evasion using the framework of prospect theory pioneered by Tversky and Kahneman. We design an investigation to identify if individual behavior follows the usual results of prospect theory, given a scenario that frames a perception of inequity. The investigation frames a scenario to invoke a controlled tax regime. The frame varies according to which inequity is being measured, exchange or social. Once the scenario is established, a questionnaire is designed to determine how the individual responds when filing taxes. The responses to the control questions are consistent with prospect theory. However, in general the responses to the framed questions, depicting inequity, are more consistent with expected utility theory.     

应对我国低消费经济现状的税制改革与协调

低消费率和高储蓄率使我国经济蕴藏着较大的隐忧.我国低消费率的形成原因很复杂,刺激消费需要多管齐下.协调当前我国的各项税制改革是提高我国消费率的重要手段.通过调整税基,加强所得税和财产税的地位,减少增值税在我国税收收入中的比重,使我国的税基更多地依赖于所得而不是消费,有利于我国消费率的提高.通过税制改革来改善收入分配状况,提高低收入者的收入水平,也有利于我国消费率的提升.     

Real estate transfer taxes and property values: The Philadelphia story

We examine the effect of the 1988 increase in the Philadelphia real estate transfer tax on the sale price of residential property. We find that sales prices fell, as expected. While sampling variability is slightly higher than desirable, the point estimate of the key coefficient indicates a decrease in house price far greater than what would be expected with perfect capital markets. This may be attributed to either capital market imperfections or the news value of the tax increase. The burden of the transfer tax thus rests on the seller.     

On Property Tax Coordination

This paper examines the welfare effects of inter-jurisdictional coordination of property taxes. Coordination in terms of compression, harmonization and radial changes of tax structure is considered. It is found that property tax coordination via uniform radial adjustments of taxes is in general welfare-superior to the other two types of tax changes. However, when there is a large disparity of initial tax rates between jurisdictions, harmonization of property taxes may lead to a larger welfare improvement.     

开征物业税对房地产巿场的影响——基于省际面板数据的分析

从理论方面分析开征物业税对房地产市场的影响可以看出,物业税对房地产市场的短期影响是降低房价,而长期影响则不显著;实证方面,以1999~2008年我国30个省份的面板数据为样本,对商品房价格与拟开征物业税之间的相关关系做进一步研究的结果表明,房地产市场价格与物业税之间存在负相关关系,且开征物业税对不同地区房地产价格的影响存在差异。因此,与现行房地产税相比,物业税的开征会对房价起到更明显的抑制作用,可以缓解房地产市场过热,抑制房地产市场泡沫,有利于实现房地产市场的良性运作。     

关于我国房地产税收问题的若干思考

随着高房价问题的日益突出,通过对个人住房征收房地产税抑制房价成为一个热点话题。从国际经验和国内试点看,房地产税的主要功能是为基层政府提供稳定的财政收入,难以作为调控房价的手段。房地产税无论是从价计征、从量计征,还是分等级定额征收,均有利有弊,我国应审慎考虑各方因素和现实情况,斟酌选择计税依据。从税收征管的简易性考虑,按房地产面积从量计征是现阶段房地产税改革的优选,同时应尽量缩小减免税的范围。     

房产税改革:一个长期渐进过程——基于纳税人收入能力的视角

税收从来就不是简单的财政问题,而是涉及利益再分配的大问题。基于原有土地出让金中事实隐含的税金,考虑到我国宏观赋税偏高,国民收入分配格局向政府、企业倾斜,居民个人收入偏低,应税能力有限,消费能力不足、内需不旺的现状,贸然向所有房产所有人征收房产税,必然引发激烈的社会矛盾甚至社会动荡,致使国民分配格局更加失衡。因此,房产税改革必须设定为一个长期目标,分步推进。     

物业税改革的经济影响:一个文献综述

自从2003年我国提出物业税改革的设想后,物业税改革成为了一个热点话题.分析物业税改革可能带来的经济影响是当前讨论的重点之一.物业税将逐渐成为地方政府的一个稳定的主要收入来源.为地方政府提供长期而稳定的激励,提高地方公共财政的效率;物业税改革在短期内会降低房价,不过幅度不会太大,也不会降低购房者的负担;物业税改革还可以提高土地资源的配置效率,一定程度上缓解由土地批租制度带来的地方政府"寅吃卯粮"的问题.     

完善结构性减税政策的着力点与路径选择

根据目前我国所面临的新形势、新任务,完善结构性减税政策的着力点应该放在三个方面:针对特定税种进行有增有减的调整,促进税制结构的优化;针对特定群体实行减税或增税政策,实现税收负担的公平;将结构性减税与经济结构调整对接,助推经济结构的优化。立足于这三大着力点,完善结构性减税政策的基本路径选择为:推进增值税扩围改革;调整消费税;减免部分进口环节税收;实行综合与分类相结合的个人所得税制;进一步完善企业所得税优惠政策;深化个人住房房产税改革;全面推广资源税;研究开征环境保护税等新税种。     

开征物业税对我国房地产市场的影响分析

开征物业税有利于转变政府职能,使政府的税源更依赖于环境的建设,而不是过多地依赖于土地出让;有利于减轻开发商在房地产开发初期的资金压力,降低其经营风险,吸引更多的开发商进入,促进房地产业的竞争,增进消费者福利;有利于鼓励和实现房地产的自住性需求;有利于抑制房地产市场的投资和投机行为。但由于开征物业税会导致房地产开发成本和进入壁垒降低,也可能造成房地产开发过度,产生房地产泡沫。     

从非和谐到和谐——财产税法律体系的解构与重塑

财产税法因其固有的、为其他税法所不能替代的功能,是一国税法体系中不可或缺的重要组成部分。我国现行财产税法律体系过于滞后薄弱。对我国现行财产税法律体系进行全面、深入地解构表明:我国应在财政民主主义和财政联邦主义理念下重塑财产税法律体系,从非和谐走向和谐。