Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments

Budget stabilization funds (BSFs) play an important role as a safety device for countercyclical fiscal capacity (CCFC) in the United States. However, while BSFs take on a kind of allowance for a contingent budget deficit, state governments can't expect high return on the money because the BSFs...

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Main Authors: Sungchan Kim, Soyoung Park
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EconJournals 2017-04-01
Series:International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues
Online Access:https://econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/3956
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author Sungchan Kim
Soyoung Park
author_facet Sungchan Kim
Soyoung Park
author_sort Sungchan Kim
collection DOAJ
description Budget stabilization funds (BSFs) play an important role as a safety device for countercyclical fiscal capacity (CCFC) in the United States. However, while BSFs take on a kind of allowance for a contingent budget deficit, state governments can't expect high return on the money because the BSFs should be used immediately. They can alternatively provide profits from short-term investment earnings with safety and liquidity. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine whether investment earnings decrease the volatility of total general fund expenditures (GFEs) and improve budget performance in state government. By using OLS regression models with a paneled data set ranging from 2002 to 2013, this study concludes that investment earnings increase the volatility of GFEs, while the generally accepted countercyclical tools such as BSFs and UUBs reduce it. In addition, it also finds that investment earnings are a source of better performance in state government. Keywords: investment earning, budget performance, countercyclical fiscal capacity (CCFC), budget stabilization fund (BSF) JEL Classifications: E6, H6
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spelling doaj.art-6d58cbfa0f084b46978cce2cbde202742023-02-15T16:20:15ZengEconJournalsInternational Journal of Economics and Financial Issues2146-41382017-04-0172Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State GovernmentsSungchan Kim0Soyoung Park1Korea Research Institute for Local AdministrationKorea Public Finance Information Service Budget stabilization funds (BSFs) play an important role as a safety device for countercyclical fiscal capacity (CCFC) in the United States. However, while BSFs take on a kind of allowance for a contingent budget deficit, state governments can't expect high return on the money because the BSFs should be used immediately. They can alternatively provide profits from short-term investment earnings with safety and liquidity. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine whether investment earnings decrease the volatility of total general fund expenditures (GFEs) and improve budget performance in state government. By using OLS regression models with a paneled data set ranging from 2002 to 2013, this study concludes that investment earnings increase the volatility of GFEs, while the generally accepted countercyclical tools such as BSFs and UUBs reduce it. In addition, it also finds that investment earnings are a source of better performance in state government. Keywords: investment earning, budget performance, countercyclical fiscal capacity (CCFC), budget stabilization fund (BSF) JEL Classifications: E6, H6 https://econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/3956
spellingShingle Sungchan Kim
Soyoung Park
Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments
International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues
title Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments
title_full Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments
title_fullStr Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments
title_full_unstemmed Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments
title_short Investment Earnings as a Countercyclical Tool: Evidence from U.S. State Governments
title_sort investment earnings as a countercyclical tool evidence from u s state governments
url https://econjournals.com/index.php/ijefi/article/view/3956
work_keys_str_mv AT sungchankim investmentearningsasacountercyclicaltoolevidencefromusstategovernments
AT soyoungpark investmentearningsasacountercyclicaltoolevidencefromusstategovernments