Abstract:

‍

This thesis explores three reforms implemented in Portugal to obtain causal inference about the manifold impacts of the rules that shape local government behavior. The first chapter focuses on the electoral response to a property tax reform, aiming to promote a higher degree of decentralization and autonomy of municipalities. The second chapter tests the hypothesis of tax capitalization by exploring an unexpected reduction in the upper bound of the property tax rate. The last chapter - using an original dataset on mayors' characteristics - exploits a recent reform introducing mayoral term limits to identify its causal impact on political selection.

‍

This PhD Dissertation was presented by Ana Catarina Alvez as part of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Economics. You can access the paper here.

‍