Taxing Ourselves: A Citizens Guide to the Great Debate Over Tax Reform

Who should pay taxes, how should they be collected, and how do they affect the economy? Should the income tax be tinkered with, replaced with a flat tax, or left alone? Cutting through the academic jargon and self-serving Washington-speak, Joel Slemrod and Jon Bakija bring together all of the data, analytical insight, and related material bearing on tax reform to explore the fundamental questions and choices inherent in tax policymaking. They review the key elements of fundamental tax reform proposals, including a single rate, a clean base, and a consumption base. Then they take a detailed look at the major alternatives for tax reform, providing concise guidelines that will make clear the choices involved in tax policy.