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Migration and the Tiebout‐Tullock Hypothesis Revisited
Author(s) -
Cebula Richard J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
american journal of economics and sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.199
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1536-7150
pISSN - 0002-9246
DOI - 10.1111/j.1536-7150.2009.00638.x
Subject(s) - tiebout model , economics , per capita income , per capita , demographic economics , labour economics , public economics , public good , microeconomics , population , demography , sociology
A bstract This study investigates, using state‐level data for the period 2000–2005, the Tiebout hypothesis (as extended by Tullock) of “voting with one's feet.” This analysis differs from previous related studies not only in its adoption of more current migration and other data but also in other ways. First, unlike most earlier related studies, it includes a separate measure of the overall cost of living; second, it examines per pupil (rather than per capita) outlays on public primary and secondary education; and third, in addition to property taxes, it also focuses on per capita state income tax burdens. Inclusion of the last of these variables in the analysis is based on studies that have found the existence of a state income tax to have influenced migration patterns and other studies that have found higher state income tax levels to have resulted in reduced per capita income growth over time. Moreover, including both property tax burdens and income tax burdens broadens the scope of the hypothesis. Strong empirical support for the Tiebout‐Tullock hypothesis (as interpreted here) is obtained for the study period.