Tax Reform
Americans are a hard-working bunch and should keep what they earn. Our ideas for tax reform reduce the burden of taxes while ensuring governments have the resources to focus on core responsibilities.
In upholding the federal health care law’s individual mandate as a tax, Chief Justice John Roberts reiterated Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes’ promise that “[t]he power to tax is not the power to destroy while this Court sits.” With the IRS’ recent targeted investigations of tea parties, balanced budget advocates, and constitutional study groups across the nation, the Chief Justice may soon have the opportunity to keep his promise.
Now that April 15th has passed, we’re left with the reminder of how aggravating and expensive paying the income tax can be. For many of us, it’s not a joyous memory.
These days, many supporters of limited government seem concerned that the public isn’t with them on issues like the role of government in society. It’s hard to deny it’s true on some level or on some issues.
This week the Washington Times ran a story on one of the remaining legal challenges to the federal health care law – a challenge brought under the Constitution’s Origination Clause to the “tax” the law created. Recently, I spoke at the Cato Institute about another ongoing challenge to the law – the Goldwater Institute’s challenge to the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats created by the federal law to reduce Medicare costs.
There are many reasons for Arizona to reject the Obamacare Medicaid expansion, but one reason which has not gotten the attention it deserves is the increasing possibility that the provider tax being proposed to fund the expansion may be reduced or phased out, leaving Arizona with a bill we cannot afford.
In Arizona’s tax code today there is a hidden, automatic tax hike that is based on something you, and even the state legislators and members of Congress who write the tax code, have no direct influence over: inflation.
Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana has just added his name to the ranks of governors who have proposed eliminating their state’s income tax. The first play of this interstate tax competition was made by Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma who proposed eliminating her state’s income tax last year. Fallin, unfortunately, was not able to make that happen last year but has vowed to try again. This year, Jindal hopes to beat Oklahoma to the punch. Based on the successful legislative record Jindal has had to date, he just might be able to.
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