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TAX REFORM REPORT DELAYED TO SEPTEMBER 30

June 16, 2005

The President today signed an executive order delaying the deadline for the tax reform panel's report to September 30. The deadline had been July 31.

Why the delay? It might indicate that there is actual debate over the plan; in that case they might need more time. Yet the press release quotes the co-charis of the committee as saying "We were on track to issue our report by July 31," so they might be delaying for another reason.

Our guess: they figured nobody will be in Washington on July 31 anyway, so they may as well take their time and make their report when people are back from the beach and paying attention.

UPDATE: It looks like the summer vacation theory is right:

Treasury spokesman Taylor Griffin confirmed the delay was not due to fears that the panel would fail to get its work done on time. Rather, he said, the extension was granted to make sure tax reform is not lost in the shuffle amid other priorities such as energy legislation, Social Security reform, highway funding, judicial nominations, and appropriations.

The text of the release is in the extended entry below.

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT'S ADVISORY PANEL ON FEDERAL TAX REFORM CHAIRMAN
CONNIE MACK AND VICE-CHAIRMAN JOHN BREAUX
~PANEL DEADLINE EXTENDED~


Today the White House released a new Executive Order that extends the
deadline for the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform's report to be delivered to the Treasury Secretary from July 31st to September 30, 2005.

Advisory Panel Chairman Connie Mack and Vice-Chairman John Breaux made the following statement:

The President's Advisory Panel has done an incredible amount of work in a short period of time. We have held nine meetings all across the country, heard testimony from nearly 90 witnesses, and we have received more than 4,300 written comments.

We were on track to issue our report by July 31st. Nevertheless, we are comfortable taking additional time to complete our work. We look forward to issuing our recommendations in September and giving this important Presidential priority the full public debate and dialogue that it deserves.

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