Conversations: Leonard Burman

Reprinted with permission of Tax Analysts.

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Abstract

Leonard E. Burman is a fellow at the Urban Institute and director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. He previously served as deputy assistant secretary for tax analysis at the Treasury Department from 1998 to 2000 and as senior analyst at the Congressional Budget Office. This fall, he will become the first Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Policy at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. Burman recently sat down with Tax Analysts' Sam Young to discuss his future plans, the outlook for healthcare reform in Congress, and his proposal to create a VAT to pay for healthcare.

Introduction

Tax Analysts: This is a very busy time in Washington, and you've had an impact on many issues now being debated in Congress. It seems to be an interesting time to be moving out of Washington instead of accelerating your efforts here.

Leonard E. Burman: I came here on a two-year leave of absence in 1985. I love teaching, and this job came up. It's the first Moynihan chair at the Maxwell School of Syracuse, and it just seemed like it was designed for me.

For a while I've thought I'd like to get back into teaching. I don't believe there's ever going to be a time that will be quiet, when I'll be able to walk away and say, "My work here is done." That's just not going to happen.

The other thing is I'm not actually walking away from Washington. I'm changing my vantage point. I expect to be involved in policy debates. I expect to be writing about policy issues. If tax reform ever does come on the agenda again, I certainly hope to be involved with that.

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