Search Results
Showing results 1 to 10 of approximately 37.
(refine search)
Journal Article
How the U.S. tax system stacks up against other G-7 economies
The recent financial crisis, Europe?s sovereign debt problems and the U.S. political dispute about raising the national debt ceiling have prompted fiscal policy debate about the size of government and the type of tax structure needed to fund public expenditures. ; Government revenue of the so-called Group of Seven (G-7) largest industrialized nations expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) from 1970 to 2009 generally trended upward before stabilizing in the 1990s (Chart 1). Revenue averaged 27 percent of GDP in 1970, rising to 36 percent in 2009. Over the past four decades, ...
Journal Article
Big Federal Stimulus, Home-Value Spike Won’t Ease Next Slump
Historically large federal transfers coupled with rapid home-price appreciation bolstered state and local revenue in Texas, softening the economic impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations. Ultra-low interest rates and a historic housing boom that aided state and local government operations are fading, suggesting Texas policymakers may encounter additional difficulties during the next downturn.
Journal Article
The devolution tortoise and the centralization hare
There has been much talk in recent years of devolving powers and functions from the federal government to the states. Some observers even proclaim a devolution revolution, the result of which will be a more efficient and effective federal government and more robust and responsive states. The generally recognized objectives of devolution include (1) more efficient provision and production of public services; (2) better alignment of the costs and benefits of government for a diverse citizenry; (3) better fits between public goods and their spatial characteristics; (4) increased competition, ...
Journal Article
Municipal finance in the face of falling property values
Journal Article
After the fiscal gold rush
Persistent budget shortfalls have created subtle spending shifts and a kitchen-sink mentality to close budget gaps without cutting services
Journal Article
Interstate fiscal disparity in 1997
Readily available tax statistics tell state and local policymakers the amount and mix of revenues that their governments receive. However, these officials pose harder fiscal questions than simply how much money is flowing into their coffers and from what sources. They frequently ask, What is our state's capacity to raise revenues, regardless of how much we actually collect? To what extent do we utilize that capacity? Is our revenue capacity sufficient to finance our state's need for public services? These questions are especially salient today, given that during state fiscal year 2002 ...
Journal Article
From payroll to playoffs
Journal Article
Federal health care law promises coverage for all, but at a price
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, better known as health care reform, was signed into law last March. The measure ostensibly provides health care coverage to almost all Americans while simultaneously reducing the deficit by $143 billion over 10 years and by a greater amount over the longer term.
Journal Article
Tax rates and revenue since the 1970s
Before 2000, the tax burden shifted from the lowest 80% of earners to the highest 20%; since 2000, the burden has shrunk for all groups, but more so for the highest earners.
Journal Article
Seigniorage revenue and monetary policy: some preliminary evidence
Producing new money is inexpensive, making seigniorage--the revenues earned from creating new money--attractive. However, the social costs of faster money creation most likely are greater than the production costs. These marginal social costs may put limits on how much real seigniorage revenue the government can earn. In this article, Joseph Haslag looks across countries to assess the typical reliance on seigniorage revenue. In addition, Haslag determines whether countries with combinations of high rates of money growth and high reserve requirements tend to rely especially heavily on ...