Research Report On the Distributional Effects of Base-Broadening Income Tax Reform
Samuel Brown, William G. Gale, Adam Looney
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This paper examines the tradeoffs among three competing goals that are inherent in a revenue-neutral income tax reformmaintaining tax revenues, ensuring a progressive tax system, and lowering marginal tax ratesdrawing on the example of the tax policies advanced in presidential candidate Mitt Romneys tax plan. Our major conclusion is that any revenue-neutral individual income tax change that incorporates the features Governor Romney has proposed would provide large tax cuts to high-income households, and increase the tax burdens on middle- and/or lower-income taxpayers.
Research Areas Taxes and budgets
Tags Individual taxes Federal budget and economy Campaigns, proposals, and reforms Federal tax issues and reform proposals
Policy Centers Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center