Should Oklahoma Be More Like Texas? A Taxing Decision

Rickman, Dan (2013): Should Oklahoma Be More Like Texas? A Taxing Decision. Forthcoming in: The Review of Regional Studies

Abstract

This paper considers whether Texas should serve as the economic policy model for Oklahoma, particularly in terms of reducing or eliminating the state income tax. I compare Oklahoma’s recent economic performance to that of Texas and other adjacent states. Comparisons are made at both the state and county levels, for different time periods, and for several economic indicators. County level regression analysis, of all counties, and separately for only border counties, both explicitly and implicitly controls for potential non-policy growth influences. Overall, I conclude that there is not sufficient evidence to warrant Oklahoma emulating Texas economic policies.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: state income tax, Oklahoma, Texas
• Subjects: H - Public Economics > H3 - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents > H30 - General; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R51 - Finance in Urban and Rural Economies; R - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics > R5 - Regional Government Analysis > R58 - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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