Excess benefit

The recent discussion of the ‘Economic Basis for Effluent Charges and Subsidies’ [ Whippie , 1966] has tended to ignore one important bit of that economic base. Governments need money, and the return from charges on externality is a possible source of such funds. When I say that this has been ignored I am not criticizing Dr. Whipple. Economists, like everyone else, sometimes keep ideas in watertight compartments.