Tax reform | AEIdeas

Friday, May 24, 2013

Pethokoukis, Economics, Taxes and Spending

Internet sales taxes can be pro-economic growth, not just a state money grab

James Pethokoukis | April 23, 2013, 11:19 am

The US should have tax code that looks like it was designed on purpose. Even better, it should look like it was efficiently designed according to pro-growth, pro-market principles. And that’s why states should be permitted to require large Internet retailers … read more >

Economics, Taxes and Spending

2 good reasons for an internet sales tax

Abby McCloskey | April 22, 2013, 3:23 pm

As early as today, the Senate may vote to allow states to collect taxes on Internet sales. read more >

Pethokoukis, Economics, Taxes and Spending

When Democrats finally propose a VAT, it’ll probably look like this

James Pethokoukis | March 6, 2013, 3:12 pm

A $2 trillion proposal from William G. Gale and Benjamin H. Harris, via The Hamilton Project at Brookings: We propose a value-added tax (VAT) to contribute to the U.S. fiscal solution. A 5 percent broad-based VAT, paired with subsidies to offset the … read more >

Politics and Public Opinion

Ask the scholars: State of the Union

Sofiya Mahdi | February 12, 2013, 4:00 pm

Video interviews of AEI’s experts discussing what will–and should–come up in President Obama’s State of the Union address. read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Paul Ryan is making the wrong argument about investment taxes

James Pethokoukis | January 24, 2013, 11:56 am

One of the worst aspects of the recent Obama tax hike was its treatment of investment income, raising capital gains and dividend tax rates by 60% (when you include the PPACA 3.8% surtax). The tax increase a) worsened further the … read more >

Pethokoukis

Tax code complexity costs 3x more than Obama tax hikes

James Pethokoukis | January 9, 2013, 12:19 pm

The fiscal cliff deal is likely, according to Washington bean counters, to raise roughly $620 billion in new upper-income taxes over the next decade. In 2013, that works out to be about $50 billion. For comparison, the sheer complexity of … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis, Taxes and Spending

The case for corporate tax reform in 1 chart

James Pethokoukis | January 9, 2013, 8:26 am

Through 2011, the United States had the second-highest combined corporate tax rate among advanced economies, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office. Actually, it’s worse than what the CBO says. Japan lowered its rate last year, and … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Study: Making a tax code more progressive hurts economic growth

James Pethokoukis | January 4, 2013, 2:39 pm

From the “Macroeconomic Effects of Progressive Taxation” by Tae-hwan Rhee of the Samsung Economic Institute (via the American Economic Association annual meeting): In this paper, I analyze the progressivity of state income tax in the United States. Using the IRS public use file … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

The 20 biggest tax breaks

James Pethokoukis | January 4, 2013, 10:54 am

This handy table from the Washington Research Group shows just how inefficient the US tax code is. Tax breaks in fiscal year 2014 for health care benefits ($164.2 billion), mortgage interest ($99.8 billion), and state and local taxes ($54.0 billion) … read more >

Economics, Pethokoukis

Is tax reform being oversold?

James Pethokoukis | December 18, 2012, 3:57 pm

“Lower the rates and broaden the base” is the mantra of tax reformers everywhere. But Ramesh Ponnuru has his doubts about the wisdom of doing so: Almost everyone thinks we should broaden the tax base; that is, reduce the number and size … read more >