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SHAVIRO CHIMES IN ON TAX REFORM PLAN

November 08, 2005

Tax Blogger and BNA portfolio author Daniel Shaviro has an article in today's Tax Notes on the Tax Reform Panel's report. The Tax Analysts article is accessible here to subscribers only, but Mr. Shaviro has a summary here.

He finds the report wanting in important respects, particularly in its revenue assumptions. Despite these problems, he finds the report useful:

Nonetheless, the Report merits careful attention. Even if it cannot play a role like that of the Treasury I study of 1984, which promptly kick-started a political process that culminated in enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, there is another route to influence worth considering. In 1977, a Treasury tax reform study, Blueprints for Basic Tax Reform, was released despite its plainly being dead on arrival with the change between Administrations. While Blueprints had no immediate political influence, it helped to shape thinking about fundamental tax reform, not just in 1986, but continuing to this day. The Panel will have accomplished much if the Report can exert similar influence over the years, whether through broad concepts that help guide future reform efforts, or by providing a hit list of potentially desirable changes.

Tax Analysts subscribers can link to the article here. I wouldn't be surprised if the TaxProf were to pull it out from behind the subscriber firewall in the coming days. (Update 11-9-05: here it is).

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