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Tax Code is “Beast with Hundreds of Heads”

By Children’s Home Society of Florida Foundation

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) has been holding a series of hearings in preparation for major tax reform in 2013. In an address on June 11 to the Bipartisan Policy Center, Baucus outlined the basic guidelines for major tax reform. He compared the current tax code to “Hydra, the mythical Greek beast with hundreds of heads.” Baucus noted that the last major tax reform of the entire code was 1986. Since that time, Congress has made 15,000 changes to the Tax Code. He suggested it is long past time to “get rid of the deadwood and simplify the code.” Baucus believes that the Tax Code needs to reflect the major changes in America since 1986.

Deficits and Debt:

There has been a rapid growth in both the deficit and the debt in the past decade. The public debt is now 73% of America’s gross domestic product (GDP). This is the highest level of debt since World War II. In addition, with the reduction in tax revenue from capital gains and other business revenue, the total receipts by the government are the “lowest they have been since World War II.” A combination of higher spending and lower revenues has created a serious debt and deficit problem. Tax reform will need to be accompanied by a sound budget that reduces the national debt and deficit. This will include both tax increases and spending reductions.

World Competition:

All of America faces major challenges because of the changing world. The U.S. economy has grown 88% since 1986. However, most of the gains have gone to upper-income individuals. In the past 15 years, America has 15% more college graduates. However, some of the other nations in the third world have increased their number of graduates by 90%. All of these new college graduates throughout the world are creating substantial competition for job growth. Families have also changed significantly. In 1986, there were more couples with one breadwinner. Now there are more single persons and working couples. There are fewer manufacturing jobs. The American economy has moved steadily from manufacturing to exporting financial services, software and engineering.

Finally, many foreign nations have acted aggressively to modernize their education systems, infrastructure and tax codes. Foreign companies increasingly have grown to join the members of the Fortune Global 500. Many of these large foreign companies have been acquiring U.S. companies and reducing the jobs in this nation. For example, when the European company Unilever acquired the U.S. company Alberto Culver, it closed an Illinois production facility and moved hundreds of jobs overseas.

A Solution?

Baucus foresees a four-part solution. A new tax code will be needed that has a focus on jobs, competition, innovation and opportunity.

1. Jobs.

The primary factor that will increase employment is to reduce personal income tax rates. This will require reducing or eliminating tax expenditures (such as deductions for medical care, retirement plans, mortgage interest, state and local taxes and charitable giving).

2. Competition.

The foreign nations have all reduced their corporate tax rates. America now has the highest corporate tax rate in the industrial world. The corporate tax rate will need to be reduced by eliminating many corporate deductions.

3. Innovation.

America will need to encourage research and new technologies with appropriate incentives.

4. Opportunity.

In the present world, education is more important than ever before. Therefore, a new tax code will need to facilitate higher education opportunities. Baucus stated that he is “making progress on a detailed tax reform proposal that will attract bipartisan support.”

Editor’s Note: Chairman Baucus and House Ways and Means Chair Dave Camp (R-MI) are both holding hearings. They believe that 2013 is the “once-in-a-generation” opportunity for them to craft comprehensive new personal and corporate tax codes.

Conclusion

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Filed under: Breaking News, Taxation | Tagged: IRS, Max Baucus, tax reform, The Case for Major Tax Reform in 2013, US Tax code | 1 Comment »