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A Test of the Institutionally Induced Equilibrium Hypothesis: On the Limited Fiscal Impact of Two Celebrity Governors

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  • Roger D. Congleton

    (West Virginia University)

  • Yang Zhou

    (West Virginia University)

Abstract

We test for the stabilizing effects of political institutions on fiscal policies by examining the impact of two unlikely governors on their state’s fiscal policies. Fiscal policies are joint products of executive and legislative decisions. These institutional factors tend to moderate the effect of changes in the chief executive, as does partisan competition for office. Jesse Ventura of Minnesota’s and Arnold Schwarzenegger of California were unique—surprise—governors of their respective states. Although both governors were arguably less constrained by partisan loyalties than most others, the other institutional factors would still tend to limit their impact on public policy. Our evidence suggests that in spite of their unique path to office neither governor had a significant impact on their state’s expenditures or deficits.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger D. Congleton & Yang Zhou, 2018. "A Test of the Institutionally Induced Equilibrium Hypothesis: On the Limited Fiscal Impact of Two Celebrity Governors," Working Papers 18-02, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    • Handle: RePEc:wvu:wpaper:18-02
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    Cited by:

    1. Roger D. Congleton, 2019. "Fiscal Bargaining and the Implicit Fiscal Constitutions of Liberal Democracies: A Public Choice Perspective," Public Policy Review, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance Japan, vol. 15(2), pages 175-198, December.
    2. Peter Calcagno & Alexander Marsella & Yang Zhou, 2024. "Income inequality and party alternation: State‐level evidence from the United States," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 42(2), pages 355-374, April.
    3. Yang Zhou, 2022. "Economic institutions and horizontal checks and balances in the Chinese bureaucratic system: evidence at the prefecture-city level," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 133-160, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Government Experience; Outsidership; Governor; Fiscal Impact; Minnesota; Jesse Ventura; California; Arnold Schwarzenegger;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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