This paper presents a model of tax competition with two local jurisdictions
in each metropolitan area, located along a line segment, and many metropol
itan areas in the world economy. The residents in each local jurisdiction a
re allowed to commute, at a constant cost per mile, to work in the other ju
risdiction. If a lump-sum tax can be used, then other taxes are not used. I
f source-based wage and business capital taxes can both be used, then only
the former is used. In this case, or if only a business capital tax can be
used, the local public good is underprovided. (C) 2000 Academic Press.