RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
William G. Gale, February 28, 2007, Opportunity 08
A good tax system raises the revenues needed to finance government spending in a manner that is as simple, equitable, stable, and conducive to economic growth as possible. But the challenge for the next President will be to make reform work not just in the abstract, but in the real world, where special interests often rule the roost. The next President should support reforms that would tax all income once (only) at the full tax rate, simplify and streamline the tax code, and, of course, raise sufficient revenues. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Kneebone, April 14, 2008, The Brookings Institution
In this report, Elizbeth Kneebone examines the changing distribution of Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) recipients across large cites and suburbs, smaller metro areas, and rural communities throughout the country. While taxpayers in large cities and rural areas were the most likely to claim the EITC in 2005, more than one-third of EITC filers lived in the suburbs of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Furman, September 06, 2007, House Committee on Ways and Means
Hamilton Project Director Jason Furman testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on fair and equitable tax policy for America's working families. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Douglas W. Elmendorf and Jason Furman, January 26, 2008, Washingtonpost.com
With a weakening economy, most agree that any well-designed stimulus should be timely, temporary and targeted. Douglas W. Elmendorf and Jason Furman advocate that the "three T" principles are critical to ensure that any benefits do not come at the expense of serious long-run harm. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Furman, October 27, 2007, Washingtonpost.com
The system for taxing business is broken; Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel is proposing a fix. Senior Fellow Jason Furman argues that the Rangel plan opens an important discussion that others—including the Bush Administration—should join. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Bordoff, Jason Furman and Lawrence H. Summers, June 2007, Hamilton Project Strategy Paper, The Brookings Institution
The progressive tax system, and the nation's fiscal system more broadly, have historically played an important role in expanding opportunities for all Americans while reducing inequality. But the same dynamic forces of technological change, financial innovation, and globalization that have contributed to rising income inequality also present new challenges for progressive taxation. Read More
PAST EVENT
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Washington, DC
The Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution hosted a forum and released a new set of policy proposals that address the challenges of reforming the U.S. tax system in an increasingly global economy. Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Lawrence H. Summers opened the discussion by providing an overview of a new Hamilton Project strategy paper that frames the challenges facing the current U.S. system of taxation and offers six guiding principles for progressively reforming the tax code. Read More
UPCOMING EVENT
Monday, May 12, 2008
10:15 AM to 12:00 PM
Washington, DC
Energy issues are among the most important strategic challenges facing America and the world. On May 12, the Opportunity 08 project at Brookings hosts a discussion on the big energy questions facing the next president. From ethanol subsidies to trade policy, energy may well dominate policy and political discussions this summer. Read More
VIDEO
William G. Gale, May 02, 2008
The idea of a gas tax "holiday" is now prominent in the presidential race but is gaining little traction in Congress. William Gale says that giving drivers a summer break from gas taxes may have political legs but will not help consumers at the pump. What is needed, Gale says, is a serious debate about the real issues.
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Furman, April 15, 2008, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance
Testifying before the Senate Finance Committee on Tax Day—April 15, Jason Furman described how policy-makers can make the tax code more efficient by following principles of "tax neutrality" so that individuals' decisions are made on economic merits and not for tax reasons. Further, Furman argues, non-tax neutral measures to encourage such goals as homeownership or childcare should be implemented through refundable tax credits rather than deductions. Read More
BOOK
Jason Furman and Jason E. Bordoff, April 01, 2008
This book focuses on three key criteria for fostering broadly shared economic growth: enhancing economic security, building a highly skilled work force, and reforming the tax system. Read More
PAST EVENT
Friday, February 29, 2008
Washington, DC
In a conference co-sponsored by the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and the American Tax Policy Institute, some of the nation’s foremost tax and health care experts presented results of research evaluating the effectiveness of tax policy in expanding health insurance coverage and controlling health care spending. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Jason Furman, December 15, 2007, McClatchy-Tribune
Although the overall economy has grown reasonably well in the last six years, the gains have not filtered down and the share of Americans in poverty has risen. Jason Furman suggests policy improvements to better facilitate the American dream. Read More
VIDEO
Rebecca M. Blank, Robert Carmona and Jack Kemp, December 12, 2007
On December 12, the Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a two-part forum at the National Press Club on ways to encourage, facilitate and reward work. A new Hamilton Project strategy paper and three new discussion papers were highlighted.
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Washington, DC
On December 12, the Hamilton Project at Brookings hosted a two-part forum at the National Press Club on ways to encourage, facilitate and reward work. Besides releasing a new Hamilton Project strategy paper, the forum highlighted four new and forthcoming discussion papers. Read More