Micro: Chapter 7 Price ceilings, price floors and taxes

Def. price ceiling

is a maximum legal price for an output. It must below the price equilibrium (Shortage)

binding price ceiling when....

it is established below the price equilibrium

What is price ceilings used for?

to protect consumers so they do not have to pay as much for the product.

What is an example of a price ceiling?

rent for apartments (grandfathered in)

What are the consequences of price ceilings?

shortages, long lines, black markets arise bc of shortages

Def. price floors

a minimum legal price for output. It must be set above the price equilibrium to be binding. (surplus)

What are price floors used for?

to protect producers or people supplying something like providing labor

Example of price floors?

minimum wage

What is a surplus of labor?

unemployment, inefficiency

For price floors and price ceilings, their elasticity determines how much shortage and surplus there is. True or False

TRUE

The more elastic, the more DWL. (bigger shortage/surplus)

TRUE

The less elastic, the less DWL. (smaller shortage/surplus)

TRUE

Def. Taxes

they are going to create a wedge between price paid and price recieved

Commodity taxes can be: (2)

per unit - tax on each unit and advolaren - % of the price

Def. Statutory Burden

who is required to pay that tax; person responsible for sending tax to the government

Def. Economic Burden

who actually pays the tax in economic terms. free market..

True or False The more inelastic demand, the more consumers will have to bare less.

True

True or False

If demand is elastic, producers bare more of the burden

Same?

split the burden 50/50

Def. Income Tax

average tax rate = income tax paid / total income

What are the 3 ways income tax can work?

Proportional, progressive, regressive

Def. Proportional

constant average tax rate

Def. progressive

the more you make, more you pay. the more income, higher average tax rate

Def. regressive

the more you make, the less you pay. More income, less average tax rate.

Formula for marginal tax rate

change in income payments / change in income

The purpose of setting a price ceiling below the equilibrium price is to:

maintain a low price for buyers in the market

The purpose of setting a price floor above the equilibrium price is to:

maintain a high price for sellers in the market

An effective binding price ceiling results in:

a market shortage

An effective binding price floor results in:

a market surplus

The statutory incidence (burden) of a tax refers to:

which party has the legal obligation to send the tax dollars to the governmetn

The economic indidence (burden) of a tax refers to

what percentage of the tax burden falls on buyers and what percentage of the tax burden falls on sellers

If the price of a cup of coffee is $2 in the absence of any tax, and a $0.30 per cup tax is levied on coffee, ceteris paribus, then:

the after-tax price per cup will most likely be between $2.00 and $2.30

If sellers bear the statutory burden of a tax, then they:

may be able to shift some or all of the tax burden to consumers by raising price

A commodity (excise) tax results in a DWL when:

the tax reduces the quantity exchanged in the market to an amount that is less than that for which the marginal benefit to society is equal to the marginal cost to society