Is Federal Tax Reform Even Possible?

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More On the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

By Children’s Home Society of Florida Foundation

In 2010, the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform considered possible options for reforming the income tax system. The bipartisan commission was co-chaired by former Senator Alan Simpson and former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles.

Bowles-Simpson

The Bowles-Simpson tax solution involved a substantial reduction in the rates by limiting itemized deductions or converting them to tax credits.

In response to the Simpson-Bowles proposal and those from members of Congress and presidential candidates, the Senate Finance Committee leadership met with the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT). Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) requested a study by JCT of various tax reform options.

The JCT experiment discussed options if various tax expenditures were repealed. Based on the JCT analysis, there was only a small reduction in rates possible. However, other commentators noted that the JCT study did not consider all of the base-broadening strategies.

In response to the JCT study, Simpson and Bowles issued a joint statement and noted, “Nothing in the JCT analysis changes our belief that it is possible for tax reform to reduce rates and produce additional revenues if policy makers are willing to make the tough choices to eliminate or scale back tax expenditures.”

The Simpson-Bowles proposal showed a potential to reduce rates to 8%, 14% and 23% if there is a drastic reduction in other tax expenditures. The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) also responded to the JCT study.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget Responds

The CRFB analysis indicated that the Simpson-Bowles commission strategy could work if there is partial or total elimination of tax expenditures. Another CRFB analysis also indicated that there was a 2005 Treasury study by the President’s Advisory Panel on Tax Reform that claimed a combination of base-broadening and rate reduction is possible.

Assessment

CRFB staff noted, “Although these two analyses differ in some respect, both show that the full elimination of all tax expenditures would allow the top tax rate to fall to 23% while still putting aside more than $1 trillion for deficit reduction.”

Editor’s Note: Your editor and this organization take no specific position on these tax reform strategies. The proposed major rate reduction plans all require significant limits on itemized deductions. Most strategies also tax capital gains at 28%. These changes will be difficult to pass during the major tax reform expected in 2013.

Conclusion

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Tim Geithner and Harry Reid Support Top Tax Rate Increases

Obama Plans to Increase Top Two Tax Brackets

By Children’s Home Society of Florida Foundation

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On a national media program on July 25, 2010, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner emphasized that the Obama administration plans to increase the tax rates for the top two brackets. When asked whether the 2001/2003 tax reductions should be extended for all brackets, Secretary Geithner stated, “I don’t believe they should and I don’t believe they will.”

New Top Rates

In the view of Secretary Geithner, the increase of the top two rates to 36% and 39.6% affects only “2% to 3% of Americans, the highest-earning Americans in the country.” He suggested that the increased rates on top earners will not have a “negative effect on growth.”

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Steny Speaks

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) agreed with Secretary Geithner. He advocated extending the tax cuts for middle-income taxpayers and remarked that their taxes are “lower than they were in any single year” when compared to prior administrations. However, in his view, the increase in the top two brackets is necessary to keep America from going “deeper into debt.”

So Does Orrin

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) is a member of the Senate Finance Committee. He spoke on the floor of the Senate and expressed frustration over the decision by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to refuse to allow a vote on the Hatch proposal to extend all of the tax cuts. Sen. Hatch offered a motion to commit the pending small business bill back to the Finance Committee in order to amend it and extend all of the tax cuts.

Sen. Hatch indicated that this “largest tax increase in history” will dramatically impact small businesses. These businesses, with between 20 to 500 workers, are owned by individuals who face substantial tax increases.

In the view of Sen. Hatch, the top bracket tax increases will reduce the ability of small business to perform its normal function during an economic recovery of generating 70% of new jobs. Sen. Hatch noted that new jobs typically have three components.

Assessment

First, there must be entrepreneurs who are willing to take risks. Second, there must be adequate access to capital. He indicated that the banks and large companies currently hold record amounts of cash reserves, so there certainly is cash available. Third, there must be “reasonable economic certainly” so that the businesses are willing to expand. With the prospect of higher taxes and greater regulations, Sen. Hatch indicates that there is a high level of uncertainly that is directly reducing job growth in America.

Conclusion

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