Working papers:
Simplification, Progression and a Level Playing Field
William Vickrey
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- Title:
- Simplification, Progression and a Level Playing Field
- Author(s):
- Vickrey, William
- Date:
- 1996
- Type:
- Working papers
- Department:
- Economics
- Permanent URL:
- http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:15659
- Series:
- Department of Economics Discussion Papers
- Part Number:
- 9596-05
- Publisher:
- Department of Economics, Columbia University
- Publisher Location:
- New York
- Abstract:
- With sufficiently well-reasoned and principled reform of tax systems, it is possible to achieve practical simplicity and a reduction in perverse incentives to a far greater degree than under any of the "flat-rate" proposals being advanced, without significant sacrifice of progressively. But it is necessary to eliminate many of the bells and whistles that confer benefits on selected constituencies, and to refrain from attempts to use the income tax as a device to encourage particular activities. There are usually more effective and transparent methods available to accomplish these objectives far more efficiently if done directly and explicitly rather than by tax tinkering motivated in part by a desire to reduce the apparent magnitude of the government "budget" by "off-budget" "tax expenditures."
- Subject(s):
- Economics
- Item views:
- 178