Border Wars: Tax Revenues, Annexation, and Urban Growth in Phoenix

Carol E. Heim ()
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Carol E. Heim: University of Massachusetts Amherst

UMASS Amherst Economics Working Papers from University of Massachusetts Amherst, Department of Economics

Abstract: Phoenix and neighboring municipalities, like many in the South and West, pursued a growth strategy based on annexation in the decades after World War II. This paper explores the link between annexation and competition for tax revenues. After discussing arguments for annexation, it traces the history of annexation in the Phoenix metropolitan area. A long-running series of "border wars" entailed litigation, pre-emptive annexations, and considerable intergovernmental conflict. The paper argues that tax revenues have been a key motivation for annexation, particularly since the 1970s. It then considers several related policy issues and argues that while opportunities for annexation are becoming more limited, competition for tax revenues (particularly sales tax revenues) continues to be fierce and to create dilemmas for municipalities in the region. JEL Categories: H71, H77, N92, R51

Keywords: annexation; municipal revenues; sales tax; Phoenix; urban growth; intergovernmental relations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006-01, Revised 2008-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his and nep-ure
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