Tax Reform’s Challenges and Opportunities
The U.S. tax code is too complex, riddled with loopholes, and widely perceived to be unfair. Now, a new administration faces the challenge of addressing these shortcomings while also creating a system that is judged to be simpler, fairer and more supportive of economic growth. And fast approaching are the expiration of the Bush tax cuts, the growing reach of the alternative minimum tax (AMT), health reform, the search for alternative revenue sources, changes in corporate taxes, and efforts to reduce global warming.
On December 5, Brookings, the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center (TPC) and Tax Analysts co-hosted a day-long forum that explored timely policy recommendations to the incoming president and his transition team. TPC Director Leonard Burman provided introductory remarks and moderated the first panel on how to get tax reform off to a swift and productive start. William Gale, vice president and director of Economic Studies at Brookings and co-director of TPC, joined the first panel and offered closing comments.
Gale offered a public memo to the President-elect with advice on improving the equity, simplicity and efficiency of the tax system, the fourth of 12 Brookings memos on the most crucial policy challenges facing the new president.
Event audio is available at the Tax Policy Center »
Agenda
Closing Comments
William G. Gale
The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy
Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Director - Retirement Security Project
Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Welcome
Leonard Burman (moderator)
Director, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Chris Bergin
President and Publisher, Tax Analysts
Panel One: Setting the Stage
Leonard Burman (moderator)
Director, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
William G. Gale
The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy
Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Director - Retirement Security Project
Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Roberton Williams
Principal Research Associate, Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
John Buckley
Chief Democratic Tax Counsel, House Ways and Means Committee
Panel Two: Taxes and the Social Safety Net
Deborah Schenk (Moderator)
Marilynn and Ronald Grossman Professor of Taxation, New York University School of Law
Leonard Burman
Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Fred Goldberg
Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Panel Three: Taxation of Capital Income
Rosanne Altshuler (Moderator)
Tax Policy Center, Urban Institute
Lily Batchelder
Professor of Law and Public Policy at NYU School of Law - New York University School of Law
Pamela Olson
Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
Panel Four: Energy Taxes
Chris Bergin
President and Publisher, Tax Analysts
David Weisbach
Walter J. Blum Professor of Law and Kearney Director of the Program in Law and Economics, University of Chicago Law School
Marty Sullivan
Contributing Editor, Tax Analysts
Gilbert E. Metcalf
John DiBiaggio Professor of Citizenship and Public Service and Professor of Economics - Tufts University
Research Associate - National Bureau of Economic Research
More Information
To subscribe or manage your subscriptions to our top event topic lists, please visit our event topics page.