Erika Siu, M. Nalukwago, Rachmanto Surahmat, Marcos Aurélio P. Valadão
This paper analyses and compares approaches to unitary taxation in federal and regional integrated markets, and explores the potential application of unitary taxation in the context of regional economic communities within Africa, East Asia, and Latin America. The federal models to be examined are the systems of unitary taxation in practice in the United States (US), Argentina, Canada and Switzerland. The primary regional model to be examined is the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB), now proposed in the European Union (EU). Finally, this paper extrapolates lessons learned and explores the potential application of unitary taxation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the East African Community (EAC), and Mercosur and the Andean Community (CAN) in the Latin American region.
{"title":"Unitary Taxation in Federal and Regional Integrated Markets","authors":"Erika Siu, M. Nalukwago, Rachmanto Surahmat, Marcos Aurélio P. Valadão","doi":"10.2139/SSRN.2587724","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/SSRN.2587724","url":null,"abstract":"This paper analyses and compares approaches to unitary taxation in federal and regional integrated markets, and explores the potential application of unitary taxation in the context of regional economic communities within Africa, East Asia, and Latin America. The federal models to be examined are the systems of unitary taxation in practice in the United States (US), Argentina, Canada and Switzerland. The primary regional model to be examined is the Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base (CCCTB), now proposed in the European Union (EU). Finally, this paper extrapolates lessons learned and explores the potential application of unitary taxation in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the East African Community (EAC), and Mercosur and the Andean Community (CAN) in the Latin American region.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115358963","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We study the effect of direct democracy on local taxation. Our setting is the German federal state of Bavaria, where in 1995 a state-wide referendum introduced the possibility to initiate direct democratic legislation into the local government code. Relying on a sample of all Bavarian municipalities over the period 1980-2011, we hypothesize that complementing a representative form of government with direct democratic elements leads to (i) higher local tax rates and (ii) a shift of the local tax mix from taxes with broader (property taxes) to taxes with narrower bases (business taxes). For identification, we implement selection on observables and difference-in-discontinuity designs. Our results show that both actual direct democratic activity measured by the number of initiatives and the ease with which direct democratic legislation can be implemented measured by signature and quorum requirements increase local tax rates and shift the tax mix toward taxes with narrower bases.
{"title":"The Effect of Direct Democracy on the Level and Structure of Local Taxes","authors":"Zareh Asatryan, T. Baskaran, F. Heinemann","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2383246","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2383246","url":null,"abstract":"We study the effect of direct democracy on local taxation. Our setting is the German federal state of Bavaria, where in 1995 a state-wide referendum introduced the possibility to initiate direct democratic legislation into the local government code. Relying on a sample of all Bavarian municipalities over the period 1980-2011, we hypothesize that complementing a representative form of government with direct democratic elements leads to (i) higher local tax rates and (ii) a shift of the local tax mix from taxes with broader (property taxes) to taxes with narrower bases (business taxes). For identification, we implement selection on observables and difference-in-discontinuity designs. Our results show that both actual direct democratic activity measured by the number of initiatives and the ease with which direct democratic legislation can be implemented measured by signature and quorum requirements increase local tax rates and shift the tax mix toward taxes with narrower bases.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122889156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper reports on a study of the tax treaty policy of a group of eleven East African countries. African tax treaties tend to follow one of two model treaties, an OECD model treaty that favours the interests of capital exporting nations and a United Nations model treaty that allows capital importing countries to retain more taxing rights. The study compares the policy outcomes in treaties signed by these countries with African nations, with relatively wealthy OECD countries, and with non-African countries that are not members of the OECD. It also compares selected outcomes in African–OECD treaties with those results in treaties between a group of Asian countries and OECD members to see whether African countries have been more or less successful at wringing preferences from wealthier nations. The study suggests the African countries studied have not been as successful in retaining taxing rights in treaties with OECD countries as have Asian countries. On the other hand, OECD countries are often more generous to African countries than are other African countries.
{"title":"Choosing between the UN and OECD Tax Policy Models: An African Case Study","authors":"Veronika Daurer, R. Krever","doi":"10.3366/AJICL.2014.0077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3366/AJICL.2014.0077","url":null,"abstract":"This paper reports on a study of the tax treaty policy of a group of eleven East African countries. African tax treaties tend to follow one of two model treaties, an OECD model treaty that favours the interests of capital exporting nations and a United Nations model treaty that allows capital importing countries to retain more taxing rights. The study compares the policy outcomes in treaties signed by these countries with African nations, with relatively wealthy OECD countries, and with non-African countries that are not members of the OECD. It also compares selected outcomes in African–OECD treaties with those results in treaties between a group of Asian countries and OECD members to see whether African countries have been more or less successful at wringing preferences from wealthier nations. The study suggests the African countries studied have not been as successful in retaining taxing rights in treaties with OECD countries as have Asian countries. On the other hand, OECD countries are often more generous to African countries than are other African countries.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130497993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In the present paper an empirical analysis will point out that Property Tax does not worsen income distribution. The sample covers EU. The elaboration of these panel data is made feasible by means of the Eviews software package.
{"title":"Property Tax and Income Distribution: A Panel Data Analysis for EU","authors":"M. Georgiou","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2358851","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2358851","url":null,"abstract":"In the present paper an empirical analysis will point out that Property Tax does not worsen income distribution. The sample covers EU. The elaboration of these panel data is made feasible by means of the Eviews software package.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121040164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper exploits an exogenous reform of the local fiscal equalization scheme in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in 2003 to identify tax mimicking by municipalities in the neighboring state of Lower Saxony (NDS). The reform caused municipalities in NRW to increase their business and property tax rates. I study within the difference in difference (DD) and the spatial lag (SL) frameworks whether municipalities in NDS bordering NRW did react to the exogenous tax increases by NRW municipalities. The DD and SL results suggest that there are no interactions in tax rates. In contrast, traditional SL regressions that rely on variation in neighbors' demographic and political characteristics for identification provide strong evidence for immediate strategic interactions. These results indicate that most of the existing literature overestimates the importance of local tax mimicking.
{"title":"Identifying Local Tax Mimicking: Administrative Borders and a Policy Reform","authors":"T. Baskaran","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2281493","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2281493","url":null,"abstract":"This paper exploits an exogenous reform of the local fiscal equalization scheme in the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in 2003 to identify tax mimicking by municipalities in the neighboring state of Lower Saxony (NDS). The reform caused municipalities in NRW to increase their business and property tax rates. I study within the difference in difference (DD) and the spatial lag (SL) frameworks whether municipalities in NDS bordering NRW did react to the exogenous tax increases by NRW municipalities. The DD and SL results suggest that there are no interactions in tax rates. In contrast, traditional SL regressions that rely on variation in neighbors' demographic and political characteristics for identification provide strong evidence for immediate strategic interactions. These results indicate that most of the existing literature overestimates the importance of local tax mimicking.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132842646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper analyzes the development on the ECJ’s case law of four European tax law concepts, made possible by the autonomous interpretation of European law towards the national legal orders. The European law concepts of tax vs. fee, valid commercial reasons on the Merger Directive, withholding tax on the Parent-Subsidiary Directive and center of main interests of the debtor on the Insolvency Regulation are analyzed.
{"title":"European Tax Law Concepts in the ECJ's Case Law: The Concepts of Tax, Valid Commercial Reasons, Withholding Tax and Centre of Main Interests of the Debtor","authors":"Ana Gabriela Rocha","doi":"10.2139/SSRN.2289370","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/SSRN.2289370","url":null,"abstract":"This paper analyzes the development on the ECJ’s case law of four European tax law concepts, made possible by the autonomous interpretation of European law towards the national legal orders. The European law concepts of tax vs. fee, valid commercial reasons on the Merger Directive, withholding tax on the Parent-Subsidiary Directive and center of main interests of the debtor on the Insolvency Regulation are analyzed.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132811384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
K. Gangl, Stephan Muehlbacher, Manon de Groot, S. Goslinga, Eva B. Hofmann, C. Kogler, G. Antonides, E. Kirchler
Research on tax behavior has recognized the necessity of changing tax authorities’ approach from enforcement to service orientation. However, empirical investigations of the impact of perceived service orientation on tax compliance are scarce. The present study draws conclusions from survey data of representative samples of 807 Dutch private taxpayers and 1377 entrepreneurs. Perceived service orientation was found strongly related to tax compliance. Furthermore, the link between perceived service orientation and tax compliance is mediated by perceived trustworthiness of authorities. We are confident that taxpayers who perceive a greater service orientation will be more willing to contribute their taxes.
{"title":"'How Can I Help You?' Perceived Service Orientation of Tax Authorities and Tax Compliance","authors":"K. Gangl, Stephan Muehlbacher, Manon de Groot, S. Goslinga, Eva B. Hofmann, C. Kogler, G. Antonides, E. Kirchler","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2271574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2271574","url":null,"abstract":"Research on tax behavior has recognized the necessity of changing tax authorities’ approach from enforcement to service orientation. However, empirical investigations of the impact of perceived service orientation on tax compliance are scarce. The present study draws conclusions from survey data of representative samples of 807 Dutch private taxpayers and 1377 entrepreneurs. Perceived service orientation was found strongly related to tax compliance. Furthermore, the link between perceived service orientation and tax compliance is mediated by perceived trustworthiness of authorities. We are confident that taxpayers who perceive a greater service orientation will be more willing to contribute their taxes.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130312910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper analyzes the extent to which intergenerational upward and downward mobility in earnings are related to individuals' preferences for redistribution. A novel survey question from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study - whether the taxes paid by unskilled workers are too high, adequate or too low - are used to elicit attitudestoward redistribution. Intergenerational mobility with regard to long-term earnings is measured using a rich panel data spanning an observation window of 22 years. The results reveal that intergenerational mobility is significantly related to preferences for redistribution. The empirical results yield strong and robust support for Piketty's (1995) rational-learning theory: individuals who experience upward (downward) intergenerational mobility are less (more) likely to favor redistribution taxation policies.
{"title":"Intergenerational Earnings Mobility and Preferences for Redistribution","authors":"T. Siedler, Bettina Sonnenberg","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2186466","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2186466","url":null,"abstract":"This paper analyzes the extent to which intergenerational upward and downward mobility in earnings are related to individuals' preferences for redistribution. A novel survey question from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study - whether the taxes paid by unskilled workers are too high, adequate or too low - are used to elicit attitudestoward redistribution. Intergenerational mobility with regard to long-term earnings is measured using a rich panel data spanning an observation window of 22 years. The results reveal that intergenerational mobility is significantly related to preferences for redistribution. The empirical results yield strong and robust support for Piketty's (1995) rational-learning theory: individuals who experience upward (downward) intergenerational mobility are less (more) likely to favor redistribution taxation policies.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114174840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper studies the economic determinants of corporate tax revenue to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) across European Union members over the period 1998-2009. The Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) regression results suggest that structural, cyclical, international and institutional factors such as GDP, Government Deficit, Industry Turnover, Unemployment, Number of Enterprises, Trade Openness, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Corruption affect revenue performance of an economy. Thus, the findings show that Unemployment Rate and Corruption have an adverse effect on tax collection, while the other analysed factors contribute to a better performance concerning tax collection. In the present paper we also consider as explanatory factors the tax variables Effective Average Tax Rate (EATR) and Effective Marginal Tax Rate (EMTR). In fact, empirical results indicate a parabolic relationship between EMTR and corporate tax revenues, reinforcing the hypothesis of the existence of a Laffer curve. Our findings also suggest that the last two years of European Union enlargement are likely not to have had effect in corporate tax revenue to GDP. In addition, specific factors of some countries (Greece, Portugal and Spain) seem to positively affect corporate revenues.
{"title":"A Panel Data Econometric Study of Corporate Tax Revenue in European Union: Structural, Cyclical Business and Institutional Determinants","authors":"Marta Emília Rodrigues Monteiro","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2162442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2162442","url":null,"abstract":"This paper studies the economic determinants of corporate tax revenue to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) across European Union members over the period 1998-2009. The Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) regression results suggest that structural, cyclical, international and institutional factors such as GDP, Government Deficit, Industry Turnover, Unemployment, Number of Enterprises, Trade Openness, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Corruption affect revenue performance of an economy. Thus, the findings show that Unemployment Rate and Corruption have an adverse effect on tax collection, while the other analysed factors contribute to a better performance concerning tax collection. In the present paper we also consider as explanatory factors the tax variables Effective Average Tax Rate (EATR) and Effective Marginal Tax Rate (EMTR). In fact, empirical results indicate a parabolic relationship between EMTR and corporate tax revenues, reinforcing the hypothesis of the existence of a Laffer curve. Our findings also suggest that the last two years of European Union enlargement are likely not to have had effect in corporate tax revenue to GDP. In addition, specific factors of some countries (Greece, Portugal and Spain) seem to positively affect corporate revenues.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116504028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
F. Figari, Alari Paulus, H. Sutherland, P. Tsakloglou, G. Verbist, Francesca Zantomio
Imputed rental income of homeowners is tax exempt in most countries, despite the longstanding arguments recommending its inclusion in the tax base, on both equity and efficiency grounds. The current fiscal crisis revived interest towards this form of taxation. The paper investigates the fiscal and distributional consequences of including homeowners’ imputed rent, net of mortgage interest and maintenance costs, in taxable income as any cash income source that extends consumption opportunities. Three scenarios are analysed in six European countries: in the first imputed rent is included in the taxable income of homeowners, while at the same time existing mortgage interest tax relief schemes and taxation of cadastral incomes are abolished. In two further revenue-neutral scenarios, the additional tax revenue raised through the taxation of imputed rent is redistributed to taxpayers, either through a proportional rebate or a lump-sum tax credit. Results show how including net imputed rent in the tax base might affect inequality in each of the countries considered. Housing taxation appears to be a promising avenue for raising additional revenues, or lightening taxation of labour, with no inequality-increasing side-effects.
{"title":"Taxing Home Ownership: Distributional Effects of Including Net Imputed Rent in Taxable Income","authors":"F. Figari, Alari Paulus, H. Sutherland, P. Tsakloglou, G. Verbist, Francesca Zantomio","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2047279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2047279","url":null,"abstract":"Imputed rental income of homeowners is tax exempt in most countries, despite the longstanding arguments recommending its inclusion in the tax base, on both equity and efficiency grounds. The current fiscal crisis revived interest towards this form of taxation. The paper investigates the fiscal and distributional consequences of including homeowners’ imputed rent, net of mortgage interest and maintenance costs, in taxable income as any cash income source that extends consumption opportunities. Three scenarios are analysed in six European countries: in the first imputed rent is included in the taxable income of homeowners, while at the same time existing mortgage interest tax relief schemes and taxation of cadastral incomes are abolished. In two further revenue-neutral scenarios, the additional tax revenue raised through the taxation of imputed rent is redistributed to taxpayers, either through a proportional rebate or a lump-sum tax credit. Results show how including net imputed rent in the tax base might affect inequality in each of the countries considered. Housing taxation appears to be a promising avenue for raising additional revenues, or lightening taxation of labour, with no inequality-increasing side-effects.","PeriodicalId":105680,"journal":{"name":"ERN: Taxation","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132297775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}