Question

5. Calculating tax incidence Suppose that the U.S. government decides to charge cola consumers a tax. Before the tax, 40 billion cases of cola were sold every year at a price of $5 per case. After the tax, 34 billion cases of cola are sold every year; consumers pay $6 per case (including the tax), and producers receive $2 per case. The amount of the tax on a case of cola is $ per case. Of this amount, the burden that falls on consumers is $ per case, and the burden that falls on producers is $ per case. True or False: The effect of the tax on the quantity sold would have been larger if the tax had been levied on producers. True False

Answer 1

The amount of tax on a case of Cola is ;

= Selling price - Producer gain

= 6 - 2

= $4

The burden that falls on consumers is;

= Current selling price - Previous selling price

= 6 - 5

= $1

The burden that falls on the producers is;

= Selling price less consumer tax - Producer gain

= 5 - 2

= $3

The effect of the tax on the quantity sold would have been larger if the tax had been levied on producers. FALSE.

Whether the tax is on the producer or on the consumer makes no difference because the quantity sold will be the same. The statement is therefore false.