King v. Burwell

: TaxVox

When does “repeal” mean “reform?”

Another presidential candidate floats a flat tax, but would it sink under its own weight? This time it’s GOP contender Rand Paul. He’d replace the tax code with 14.5 percent in federal tax on all personal income, including wages, investment income, and rents. He’d repeal the Social Security and

June 19, 2015Renu Zaretsky

Does Saying “No Chance” Increase the Chances of Reform?

The House votes to ban taxes on Internet access. Again. But senators still want to link the prohibition to a separate measure that would clarify the ability of states to require online sellers to collect sales taxes. Like that little icon you get when your computer is stuck: The two issues just

June 10, 2015Renu Zaretsky

: TaxVox

Revenues and Rate Hikes: What’s an Elected Official to Do?

There’s a revenue surge in California. The state is exceeding its 2013 tax collections and beating 2014 forecasts. The Franchise Tax Board netted $7.6 billion in personal income taxes between April 1 and this past Monday. It collected $6 billion during the same period in 2014. The state’s school

April 22, 2015Renu Zaretsky

: TaxVox

Expensive Plans, ACA Developments, and Exercises in Futility

The Rubio-Lee tax reform plan: Interesting, very expensive, and DOA. The GOP senators offer a framework for a huge tax cut that would add trillions to the debt over the next ten years while moving the revenue code towards a consumption tax. TPC did a preliminary analysis of an early version of the

March 5, 2015Renu Zaretsky

: TaxVox

On Tiny Steps, King Edward, and Hidden Assets

Tax reform: Go big or go home, or at least, not very far. TPC’s Len Burman says that senators Marco Rubio’s and Mike Lee’s proposal to eliminate the tax on capital gains would do more harm than good. The senators argue that it’s a step toward a consumption tax. But Len thinks some small steps aren’

March 4, 2015Renu Zaretsky

: TaxVox

Can Expectations Be Too Low?

Pot tax refunds for all in Colorado? Colorado’s controversial Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) says that the state cannot keep more tax revenue than it expected to collect in the year it levies a new tax. Colorado is on track to collect an extra $219 million in revenue in the current fiscal year and

March 3, 2015Renu Zaretsky

: TaxVox

“Money Is Like Manure… Not Worth a Thing Unless It’s Spread Around.”

TPC shows how President Obama would redistribute income from the rich to the poor. The President will release his budget next week, and with it, a tax plan analyzed by the Tax Policy Center . TPC’s Howard Gleckman explains that under the plan, after- tax income would increase by about $175 in 2016

January 29, 2015Renu Zaretsky