Tax Policy Center

tax extenders

Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

Five Tax Stories To Watch in What Will Be a Wild Fall in Congress and on the Campaign Trail

Congress is back. Fiscal deadlines loom. Presidential candidates have tax plans to propose. It isn’t clear how much lawmakers will accomplish in the next four months, but it will be a busy and interesting fall. Here are five stories to watch: International Tax Reform : House Republicans insist they
September 8, 2015Howard Gleckman
Business Taxes: TaxVox

The Perpetual, Immortal, Eternal, Never-Ending Tax Extenders

The magic number for today is 16. That is, remarkably, the number of times Congress has extended the allegedly temporary research and experimentation tax credit since it was first enacted in 1981. The question for philosophy class (this is far beyond economics) is this: Can something that has been
May 28, 2015Howard Gleckman
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

Trying to Square the House’s Tax Cuts and Its No-Tax-Cut Budget

DOA budgets are hardly new. But House tax writers seem to be ignoring their own party’s fiscal plan. The House Budget Committee’s fiscal framework would not change expected revenues over the next 10 years. While it recommends enormous (though unspecified) spending cuts in an attempt to eliminate
March 19, 2015Howard Gleckman
Campaigns, Proposals, and Reforms: TaxVox

Lawmakers Talk Tax Reform But Keep Pushing New Tax Subsidies

It is hard not to notice that while policymakers are talking tax reform they are walking tax deform. The more they vow to lower tax rates and eliminate targeted tax preferences (close loopholes in Congress-speak), the more bills they push to create new subsidies or juice up old ones. Yesterday, the
February 12, 2015Howard Gleckman
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

How Will Jeb Bush Turn His Vision of Government into Tax Policy?

Jeb Bush gave a fascinating and important speech yesterday to the Detroit Economic Club, a traditional venue for presidential candidates. In it, he laid out an economic and social vision that echoed in many ways the “compassionate conservatism” message that his brother used with great success in
February 5, 2015Howard Gleckman
: TaxVox

Spending Caps? What Spending Caps?

Up next week: The President’s Budget. President Obama will release his budget for fiscal year 2016 on Monday. The plan would increase spending above the sequester limits of the Budget Control Act of 2011. Steep cuts were triggered in 2013 when Congress failed to reach a budget deal, but were then
January 30, 2015Renu Zaretsky
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

Nine Tax Stories to Watch in 2015

So much has changed. Yet, when it comes to taxes, so much has not. Republicans have taken control of Congress and now hold governorships in 31 states. The U.S. economy is finally on solid ground. And presidential hopefuls are gearing up for the 2016 election. But for all that, the top tax stories
January 6, 2015Howard Gleckman
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

The Tax Vox Lump of Coal Awards: The 10 Worst Tax Ideas of 2014

It’s time for the annual Tax Vox Lump of Coal Awards for the worst tax policy of 2014. The past 12 months were a banner year for bad ideas and their perpetrators. The Top 10 are: Frank Underwood & Elvis. Tax subsidies for economic development hardly ever pay for themselves. But two are worthy
December 23, 2014Howard Gleckman
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

Kudos to Sandy Levin For Speaking Out For Fiscal Responsibility

Rep. Sandy Levin (D-MI), the senior Democrat on the House Ways & Means Committee, stood up on the House floor yesterday and urged Congress to refuse to make permanent three special tax breaks for charitable giving unless their $11 billion cost was paid for. Why were his remarks notable? Because
December 11, 2014Howard Gleckman
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

Why Does Congress Pay For Some Tax Cuts and Not Others?

Can somebody explain to me why the House agreed last week to restore 50+ tax subsidies without paying for them (and thus adding $42 billion to the deficit) and 10 minutes later approved a new tax subsidy that it insisted on paying for? It can’t be the merits of the recipients. By now, TaxVox
December 9, 2014Howard Gleckman