PRIOR RESEARCH, THEORY, AND HYPOTHESES
A taxing system relying on self reporting requires responsible taxpayers with compliant behavior.
The well established economic theoretical models suggest that opportunity to evade along
with accountability, sanctions, and detection rates are the major factors in tax compliance behavior
(Joulfaian and Rider 1998; Porcano 1988; Park and Hyun 2003; Aim and Mckee 2006; Slemrod
2007). Although virtually all tax compliance research involves income taxes, these research findings
are likely to provide a foundation for predicting behavior around other types of taxes such as
the use and B&O taxes of Washington (Denison and Eger 2000). Therefore, research investigating
tax compliance factors relevant to this study are reviewed next.