Abstract
This paper analyses the role of partisan politics in determiningthe local tax burden. Property taxes are the most important revenuesource which municipalities in the Netherlands can decide uponthemselves. Using a new data set on Dutch local property taxes in1996, it is concluded that municipalities with a council dominatedby left wing parties have a higher tax burden. We also find thatlarger coalitions have lower levels of taxation. Finally, taxexporting increases tax rates.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abrams, B.A. and Dougan, W.R. (1986). The effects of constitutional restraints on government spending. Public Choice 49: 101-116.
Alesina, A. and Perotti, R. (1995). Fiscal expansions and adjustments in OECD countries. Economic Policy 21: 207-248.
Allers, M.A. (1998). De invloed van de burger op de gemeentelijke belastingdruk. Groningen: Coelo.
Bell, M.E. and Bowman, J.H. (1987). The effect of various intergovernmental aid types on local own-source revenues: The case of property taxes in Minnesota. Public Finance Quarterly 15: 282-297.
Borge, L.-E. (1995). Economic and political determinants of fee income in Norwegian local governments. Public Choice 83: 353-373.
Bosch, N. and Suarez-Pandiello, J. (1995). Seven hypotheses about public choice and local spending: A test for Spanish municipalities. Public Finance 50: 36-50.
CBS (1998). Statistisch jaarboek 1998. Voorburg/Heerlen: CBS.
Cusack, T.R. (1997). Partisan politics and public finance: Changes in public spending in the industrialized democracies, 1955-1989. Public Choice 91: 375-395.
Edin, P. and Ohlsson, H. (1991). Political determinants of budget deficits: Coalition versus minority effects. European Economic Review 35: 1597-1603.
Haan, J. de and Sturm, J.E. (1997). Political and economic determinants of OECD budget deficits and government expenditures: A reinvestigation. European Journal of Political Economy 13: 739-750.
Haan, J. de, Sturm, J.E. and Beekhuis, G. (1999). The weak government thesis: New evidence. Public Choice, forthcoming.
Heyndels, B. and Smolders, C. (1994). Fiscal illusion at the local level: Empirical evidence for the Flemish municipalities. Public Choice 80: 325-338.
Hibbs, D. (1987). The political economy of industrial democracy. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Ibrahim, M.M. (1994). Party politics and spending decisions in local authorities. International Journal of Public Sector Management 5: 67-71.
Ladd, H.F. (1975). Local education expenditures, fiscal capacity, and the composition of the property tax base. National Tax Journal 28: 145-158.
Ladd, H.F. and Bradbury, K.L. (1988). City taxes and property tax bases. National Tax Journal 41: 503-523.
Ministry of Finance (1996). Miljoenennota 1997. Den Haag: SDU.
Pommerehne, W.W. (1978). Institutional approaches to public expenditure: Empirical evidence from Swiss municipalities. Journal of Public Economics 9: 225-280.
Pommerehne, W.W. and Schneider, F. (1978). Fiscal illusion, political institutions, and local public spending. Kyklos 31: 381-408.
Reid, B.G. (1998). Endogenous elections, electoral budget cycles and Canadian provincial governments. Public Choice 97: 35-48.
Rosen, H.S. and Fullerton, D.J. (1997). A note on local tax rates, public benefit levels, and property values. In The fiscal behavior of state and local governments: Selected papers of Harvey S. Rosen, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar (first published in 1977).
Roubini, N. and Sachs, J. (1989). Government spending and budget deficits in the industrial countries. Economic Policy 8: 99-132.
White, H. (1980). A heteroskedasticity-consistent covariance matrix and a direct test for heteroskedasticity. Econometrica 48: 817-838.
Yinger, J., Bloom, H.S., Börsch-Supan, A. and Ladd, H.F. (1988). Property taxes and house values: The theory and estimation of intrajurisdictional property tax capitalization. Boston etc.: Academic Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Allers, M., de Haan, J. & Sterks, C. Partisan Influence on the Local Tax Burden in the Netherlands. Public Choice 106, 351–363 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005123208352
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005123208352