Tax bill passed

Jo Breiner — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:00:01 +0000

Boston University School of Law professor Daniel Berman, director of the Graduate Tax Program, offers his view on the future of tax reform after passage of the tax compromise bill.

“This tax package is a temporary compromise that deserves its widespread condemnation. The only optimistic sign for tax policy is some new support for tax reform, voiced by the president and others.

“Tax reform has proven to be enormously difficult to accomplish, and almost as difficult to preserve once achieved. But it may offer the best way out of our present economic and political mess.”

Contact Daniel Berman, 617-353-3105, bermand@bu.edu

Rivlin/Domenici proposal

Jo Breiner — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 18:36:31 +0000

A bipartisan task force, led by Alice Rivlin, a member of President Obama’s debt commission, and former senator Pete Domenici, released their plan to cut the deficit. The plan would rely on spending cuts and a debt-reduction sales tax which the task force believes would save $6 trillion by 2020. Law professor Daniel Berman, director of the Graduate Tax Program and both a Treasury and Congressional tax counsel, offers the following commentary:

“Adding a consumption tax probably is the only way to raise sufficient revenue while keeping marginal income tax rates low and maintaining the major tax expenditures that our citizens demand.

“To reject such a structure because of its ‘ties to Europe, ‘ irrespective of its merits or demerits, is simply irresponsible national leadership. In this economic challenge we must learn from other countries rather than reject their choices out of hand.”

Contact Daniel Berman, 617-353-3105, bermand@bu.edu

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Tax bill passed

Rivlin/Domenici proposal