The excitement of Christmas and the presents that Santa Claus would bring best describes today's American politics. Each party is competing to win votes by providing the presents. The more the better.
Taxes and Budget
December 20, 2021
In the quest for “payfors” for the Build Back Better spending package, Senate Democrats have proposed a 15 percent minimum tax on corporations in the United States with at least $1 billion in annual “book value” profits. But as structured it is bad public policy—not only because it risks politicizing how companies book profits under FASB rules, but also because it will reduce the value of certain tax incentives companies have been given to advance key public-interest goals.
December 13, 2021
If policymakers want to continue supporting innovation and the public benefits that innovation brings, then tax rates should be set with the interests of both public revenue and scientific progress in mind.
October 8, 2021
Raising taxes on companies that compete in global markets, particularly in knowledge-intensive, high-value-added industries, is a recipe for a larger trade deficit, fewer good jobs, and a weaker national defense industrial base.
September 16, 2021
The current draft of the House budget reconciliation package includes a tax credit designed to support municipal broadband. While this credit is somewhat narrower than some reports have suggested, it is still ill-advised.
September 8, 2021
The excitement of Christmas and the presents that Santa Claus would bring best describes today's American politics. Each party is competing to win votes by providing the presents. The more the better.
September 7, 2021
Staring in 2022, a provision in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will require companies to start amortizing their R&D investments over five years instead of expensing them in the same year they incur the costs. Congress should repeal the rule before it takes effect. Otherwise, companies will do less research in the United States, jobs will be lost, and U.S. competitiveness will suffer.
May 10, 2021
Rob Atkinson particpated in a an expert Q&A panel on VMT fee transition and implementation hosted by the Bipartisan Policy Center.
April 15, 2021
If a budget represents values, then the White House’s FY2022 discretionary budget request shows the new administration places the greatest value on equity, social spending, health, and environment. It places much less value on national security and economic competitiveness.
March 15, 2021
Public support for R&D is critical to bridge the gap in incentivizing technological progress. Three Portuguese economists examined the investment impact of tax incentives for “intangible investments,” another term for non-physical investments that increase productivity, such as human capital, software, and innovation.
March 7, 2021
Passing a time-limited tax incentive for firms that move Chinese production to U.S. Labor Department–designated “labor surplus areas” would weaken China’s economic and technological capabilities by reducing production there while strengthening U.S. capabilities by increasing domestic production, and it would help economically distressed and disadvantaged cities and counties across the nation.