This paper calculates the optimal gasoline tax for the state of California. According to our analysis, the optimal gasoline tax in California is $1.37/gallon, which is over 3 times the current California tax when excluding sales taxes. The Pigovian tax is the largest part of this tax, comprising $0.85/gallon. Of this, the congestion externality is taxed the most heavily, at $0.27, followed by o...

This study develops a theoretical general equilibrium model to examine optimal externality tax policy in the presence of externalities linked to one another through markets rather than technical production relationships. Analytical results reveal that the second-best externality tax rate may be greater or less than the first-best rate, depending largely on the elasticity of substitution between...

a r t i c l e i n f o In this paper we endogenize objective functions of the regions in case the of tax competition for foreign owned mobile capital. First, considering symmetric regions and simultaneous move tax competition, we demonstrate that the competing regions can restrict 'race-to-the-bottom' in tax rates by deviating away from social welfare to net tax revenue. Moreover, it is optimal ...

Differential tax analysis is used to show how the optimal mix of inflation tax and direct taxation changes with the relative size of the hidden economy. The larger the relative size of the hidden economy, the smaller the optimal ratio of direct tax to inflation tax. Anecdotal empirical evidence supports this result. JEL Classification: E62, H21, H26, O17.

“Optimal fiscal and monetary policy with commitment” is a policy of choosing taxes and transfers or monetary instruments to maximize social welfare. “Commitment” refers to ability of a policymaker to make binding policy choices. Optimal fiscal policy under commitment Ramsey approach to the optimal taxation “Ramsey approach to optimal taxation” is a solution to the problem of choosing optimal ta...

A tax-smoothing objective is used to assess the optimal composition of public debt with respect to maturity and contingencies. This objective motivates the government to make its debt payouts contingent on the levels of public outlay and the tax base. If these contingencies are present, but asset prices of non-contingent indexed debt are stochastic, then full tax smoothing dictates an optimal m...

This paper develops an analytical framework for assessing the second-best optimal level of gasoline taxation taking into account unpriced pollution, congestion, and accident externalities, and interactions with the broader fiscal system. We provide calculations of the optimal taxes for the US and the UK under a wide variety of parameter scenarios, with the gasoline tax substituting for a distor...

This paper proposes an overview of the lessons that have been learned over the last 30 years in the economics literature for the optimal design of household tax and transfer programs and offers an application to the case of the United Kingdom. We review the tax and transfer system in the United Kindgom as well as its effects on labor supply. In particular, we investigate the link between top in...

The log export policy suggestion by Dumont and Wright (2006) is critically assessed in an effort to determine if it is based on economic efficiency. The optimal log export policy for British Columbia is derived using two different models. The first model assumes that B.C. is a small open economy, and the second is a two country model that provides B.C. the opportunity to improve its terms of tr...

Most actual tax-transfer systems include categorical transfer payments, based on(nearly) exogenous characteristics such as disability or date of birth. In this paper, I note thatoptimal categorical transfers are a form of limited lump-sum redistribution and analyze optimalcategorical transfers in relation to the theory of first-best lump-sum redistribution. I examine theeffects ...