Cash flow analysis for energy impacted local governments—a case study of mercer county,north dakota

Energy resource taxation policy has become a major issue in a number of energy producing areas and particularly in the western united States. This paper compares alternative energy taxation systems in terms of their implications for local governments and local planning. A fiscal impact simulation model is utilized to evaluate a severance-production tax system and, alternatively, an ad valorem property tax system. The results indicate that the form of taxation system adopted can have a major influence on the fiscal outlook for local governments in areas affected by large scale development projects and thus on the welfare of area residents. These results also suggest that local fiscal considerations should receive careful attention in local planning and policy formulation.