Tax competition and tax base equalization in the presence of multiple tax instruments

The literature on tax competition has argued that tax base equalization, which reduces regional disparities in tax bases, can serve as a means of internalizing horizontal and vertical fiscal externalities. This argument assumes that each government relies on a single tax base (a regional tax on mobile capital and a federal tax on savings). This paper considers the case in which a distortionary labor tax is also available. Internalizing fiscal externalities requires that while the regional capital tax base is fully equalized, a region’s equalization entitlement for the labor tax is positive when its tax base is “larger” than the average tax base of all regions. This efficient tax base equalization system is incompatible with the primary objective of fiscal equalization.

Dostosowanie dochodów do zadań samorządu terytorialnego w Polsce. Praktyka i rekomendacje

The article deals with the problem of adjusting the revenues of Polish local government units (LGUs) to their tasks. The problem was analysed both from the point of view of the possibility of increasing LGU revenues and designing an effective system of fiscal equalization. The authors discussed the external factors which limit the possibilities of introducing such a desirable system. Next, based on the presented analysis, they drew conclusions regarding the necessary revision of the existing scheme. The article concludes with specific recommendations for a new system of financing LGUs, assuming, in particular, far-reaching changes in the algorithms for determining and dividing general subsidies, as well as a fundamental reduction in the scope of the so-called commissioned tasks.

CLUSTER ANALYSIS OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES’ BUDGET EXPENDITURE STRUCTURE IN UKRAINE UNDER FISCAL EQUALIZATION

The national fiscal equalization mechanism currently in force in Ukraine functions according to the tax capability criterion based on local budget revenues from personal income taxation. Potential conflicts of interest are inherent to this criterion due to differences in full revenue structures of territorial communities’ budgets, as well as their public service capacity and capital endowment, so that local authorities may not be motivated enough to use central government transfers to stimulate wider demand for productive labor in the community. Based on the relative budget expenditure indicators for 872 Ukrainian territorial communities, according to the 2020 totals, five categories of expenditure structure were identified using k-means cluster analysis: 1) the share of administrative spending in general fund expenditure is between 30% and 50%, the share of capital expenditures is at most 25% of total budget expenditure; 2) the capital expenditure share is at least 20%; 3) the share of wages is at most 75% in general fund expenditure; 4) the administrative spending share is higher than 50%; 5) the administrative spending share is lower than 30%, capital expenditure does not exceed 20% of the total. Parameters were estimated for log-linear dependency between general fund revenues per capita and ratios of direct/reverse transfers from central government budget, within the identified clusters and the full sample. The results allow noticing that the dependency between the revenue values and transfer ratios is statistically weaker and less elastic for clusters 2 and 3. Besides, the cluster groups show the statistically significant difference in average population of the respective communities, with lower population in clusters 1 and 4, moderate in 2 and 5, and higher in cluster 3. The differences in expenditure structure between donors and recipients of the fiscal equalization mechanism are most evident in modestly populated communities, i.e. with approximately 10,000 populations (clusters 2 and 5), where the analysis reveals subsidizing of higher administrative expenditure and capital investment shares at the expense of communities with more efficient administration. The potential conflict of interest is further amplified by lower differentiation in transfer ratios of communities with lower wage share, which predominantly act as donors through reverse budget transfers (cluster 3), as well as of communities with high capital expense shares, which are predominantly recipients (cluster 2). The identified interests and issues of the communities constituting the expenditure structure clusters allow suggesting two model priorities for inter-municipal cooperation. The first one is common projects in public services provision between the modestly populated communities with high wage shares and unequal endowment in investment resources. The second one is the shared commercial use of resources in least financially capable communities, funded by donor communities with comparatively low wage share which, in their turn, would require further optimization of administrative expenditures to be able to implement the projects of this kind.

Development trends and assessment of system efficiency of interbudgetary relations in the Republic of Uzbekistan

The study is devoted to topical issues of the distribution of competencies between the budgets of different levels, first of all, with the aim of effectively fulfilling the tasks they face, forming a reliable and stable revenue base for local budgets, equalizing regional incomes, as well as the conditions and mechanisms for providing them with financial assistance. The purpose of this article is to generalize the existing ones in the world, as well as to improve and develop methodological approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the use of fiscal equalization funds, which is undeservedly paid little attention to in the research of Uzbek scientists. The article analyzes the existing system of interbudgetary relations of the Republic of Uzbekistan, identifies the problems and trends of its development. Based on the application of these approaches, as well as mathematical-statistical and expert methods, conclusions were drawn about the presence of a high level of differentiation of the regions of Uzbekistan in terms of important socio-economic indicators and about the effectiveness of the transfer policy carried out in the republic, designed to smooth out these differences. The work will be useful to employees of the relevant authorities of Uzbekistan, decision-makers in the field of formation and implementation of socio-economic policy at the regional and national levels, as well as a wide range of researchers and readers interested in the peculiarities of organizing the system of interbudgetary relations.

Does fiscal decentralization promote economic growth? An empirical approach to the study of China and India

PurposeThe authors test the effect of expenditure decentralization and fiscal equalization on short- and long-run economic growth and estimate two-step generalized method of moment (GMM) simultaneous equations models, using panel data for China and India for the period 1985 to 2005. The authors estimate two simultaneous equations: a growth equation and equalization equation and find that expenditure decentralization has a negative and statistically significant effect at conventional levels on short-run economic growth for both China and India. However, the authors also find that this result is sensitive to the set of included explanatory variables. This leads the authors to conclude that expenditure decentralization has no effect on short-run economic growth for either country. The authors also find that expenditure decentralization has a positive and statistically significant effect on fiscal equalization for both countries but find no evidence that fiscal equalization affects short-run economic growth for either China or India. In contrast, the authors find that expenditure decentralization has a positive effect on long-run economic growth in the case of India, but not in the case of China. Finally, the authors report evidence that fiscal equalization has no effect on long-run economic growth in the case of China; however, the authors find that equalization has a positive and statistically significant at conventional levels effect on long-run economic growth in India.Design/methodology/approachThe authors estimate two-step GMM simultaneous equations models, using panel data for China and India for the period 1985 to 2005. To examine the effect of fiscal decentralization (FD) policies on economic growth in China and India, the authors estimate two equations: a growth equation and an equalization equation. For the growth equation, the authors adopt a production-function-based model that is widely used in the empirical literature on growth; however, the authors do make some compromises with this specification due to the unavailability of certain data. For the equalization equation, the authors include variables that economic theory and empirical evidence suggest influence fiscal disparities among subnational governments which in turn influence the demand for horizontal fiscal equalization (HFE). To the extent possible, the authors employ the same econometric specification, variable constructions and sample periods for both China and India. The authors believe this strategy provides a more rigorous test of the FD hypothesis.FindingsThe authors find that expenditure decentralization has a negative and statistically significant effect at conventional levels on short-run economic growth for both China and India. However, the authors also find that this result is sensitive to the set of included explanatory variables. This leads to conclude that expenditure decentralization has no effect on short-run economic growth for either country. The authors also find that expenditure decentralization has a positive and statistically significant effect on fiscal equalization for both countries but find no evidence that fiscal equalization affects short-run economic growth for either China or India. In contrast, the authors find that expenditure decentralization has a positive effect on long-run economic growth in the case of India, but not in the case of China. Finally, the authors report evidence that fiscal equalization has no effect on long-run economic growth in the case of China; however, the authors find that equalization has a positive and statistically significant at conventional levels effect on long-run economic growth in India.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the importance of FD policies, especially to many developing countries that are currently pursuing decentralization reforms, future research should examine the effect of FD on economic growth for other countries. Furthermore, although it would be difficult to do so, future research should examine whether FD promotes political stability on ethnically diverse countries.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, no one has examined the effect of FD policies on India's growth experience. What is more is that this is also the first of its kind to have a comprehensive empirical investigation into these two major developing countries with very interesting similarities and differences in FD policies. It is thus of great importance to examine the effect of expenditure decentralization and HFE on economic growth in China and India.

The development of municipalities in the context of intergovernmental allocation at the meso-level

Subject. This article deals with the issues of fiscal relations arising from the interaction of regional and local authorities and the imbalances in inter-budget allocations at the meso-level, in particular. Objectives. The article aims to analyze the regional practices of allocation of tax powers and budget transfers, and justify changes in the legal documents aimed at fiscal equalization of municipalities. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of logical and comparative analyses. Results. The article identifies determinants of unsustainable development of municipalities, formulates and argues in favor of changes that should be made to the system of allocation and distribution of budget transfers and tax powers in order to improve the well-being of citizens. Conclusions. The uneven socio-economic development of municipalities and their heterogeneity are due to significant differentiation in the fiscal capacity and asymmetry in the distribution of fiscal powers between the levels of regional and municipal governments. The main condition for the sustainable development of municipalities is the redistribution of expenditure powers and income sources in the area of inter-budgetary relations in favor of municipal authorities.