Case for Earmarked Taxes: Theory and Example

International Monetary Fund

No 1988/018, IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: The earmarking (or setting aside) of revenues from various taxes for specific types of expenditure is a much maligned fiscal practice. The paper examines a number of theoretical arguments and institutional circumstances under which earmarking (even widespread earmarking) may be welfare enhancing. The paper also questions the criticism that earmarking seriously erodes budgetary efficiency, and draws on the experience of Colombia to demonstrate that the worst fears of critics do not necessarily come to pass.

Keywords: WP; earmarking provision; gasoline tax; tax burden; public expenditure; earmarked tax; tax share; share h; taxes deal; valorization tax; shares gi; Tax expenditure policy; Budget planning and preparation; Extra-budgetary funds; Consumption; Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 44
Date: 1988-01-01
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/cat/longres.aspx?sk=27558 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:imf:imfwpa:1988/018

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/pubs/ord_info.htm

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC USA. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Akshay Modi ().