Strength in diversity? Fiscal federalism among the fifty US states

Teresa Garcia-Mila, Therese J. McGuire () and Wallace Oates
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Therese J. McGuire: Northwestern University

International Tax and Public Finance, 2018, vol. 25, issue 4, No 9, 1091 pages

Abstract: Abstract Fiscal federalism in the USA has a distinctive structure that contrasts sharply with that in most other industrialized nations. Our purpose in this paper is to describe and explore the US “brand” of fiscal federalism. We demonstrate that there is a striking amount of variety in the 50 state fiscal systems and that these differences have prevailed in the face of potentially disruptive forces. The variety we find stems in large part from states having meaningful fiscal autonomy, in particular, the authority to levy taxes. The result is likely higher societal welfare than would ensue without this autonomy.

Keywords: Fiscal federalism; 50 US states; Subnational fiscal autonomy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H70 H77 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10797-018-9485-4

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