We set up a framework to conduct experiments for estimating spillover effects when units are grouped into mutually exclusive clusters. We improve upon existing methods by allowing for heteroskedasticity, intra-cluster correlation and cluster size heterogeneity, which are typically ignored when...

This paper analyzes the welfare implications of a transfer mechanism in a fiscally decentralized economy where local governments select their tax collection effort to maximize their lifetime utility. We consider a transfer rule that both punishes for the lack of efficiency in tax-collection and...

Revenue and Gross State Domestic Product data for 1993-94 to 2008-09 are used to study the revenue performance of the state Value-Added Tax (VAT) in India's 29 states. Both the direct revenue impact and the indirect impact through the VAT base were assessed. No indirect impact of the VAT on its...

L'articolo analizza retrospettivamente dopo sette anni l'impatto che la pubblicazione del “Manifesto contro la disoccupazione nell'UE” ha avuto sulle politiche economiche attivate nei vari paesi europei. Dal lato dell'offerta, si prende atto che molti suggerimenti del “Manifesto” sono...

No other New England state is as vulnerable to Zappers as is the State of Massachusetts. Zappers and related software programming, Phantom-ware, facilitate an old tax fraud – skimming cash receipts. In this instance skimming is performed with modern electronic cash registers (ECRs). Zappers...

Conventional wisdom has it that natural resource dependence is associated with increased vulnerability to external shocks emanating from sudden supply and demand changes in the global economy. This paper explores to what extent government revenue in low- and middle-income countries is affected...

Would better state institutions increase tax collection, or would higher tax collection help improve state institutions? In the absence of conclusive guidance from theory, this paper searches for an empirical answer to this question, using a panel dataset covering 110 non-resource-rich countries...

This paper reviews the literature and evidence on the most appropriate structure of regional and local taxes in developing countries. A good subnational tax system is critical to an effective and sustainable system of intergovernmental fiscal relations - a need that has become increasingly...