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NCPA President and Kellye Wright Fellow John C. Goodman and other world-renowned economists and tax experts debated the pros and cons of the proposed value-added tax (VAT) at an NCPA-sponsored Capitol Hill briefing in June.
Although a VAT is just another form of a retail sales tax, it has the advantage of being harder to evade. Tax experts believe that large retail sales taxes lead to compliance problems, which we can avoid by collecting the same tax along the chain of production.
The NCPA strongly opposes enacting a VAT, particularly since the primary purpose of the VAT in the current political climate would be to raise revenue to support Congress’ out-of-control spending practices.
The first order of business should be to control federal spending — especially entitlement spending. Only when Congress can demonstrate some modicum of control over federal spending should we examine different ways to generate revenue. (continued on page 2)
Vol. XVI, No. IV July/Aug, 2010
Wilkinson Joins NCPA Board of Directors
See insert for photos from the most recent Chairman’s Council, British Columbia, Canada
NCPA Sponsors Capitol Hill Briefing on Proposed Value-Added Tax
Greg Wilkinson, a lifelong Dallas resident, has joined the NCPA Board of Directors for the 2010–2011 term. Mr. Wilkinson has been in the construction business since 1971 and has been a registered professional engineer in Texas since 1972. After receiving a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Southern Methodist University (SMU), he completed graduate programs in business at Penn State University and SMU.
Mr. Wilkinson spent 11 years with one of the largest construction/engineering firms in the world: Fluor-Daniel. In 1982 at the age of 35, he was promoted to Vice President of Fluor-Daniel and became one of the youngest vice presidents the company had ever had. Story continues on page 2
NCPA President and Kellye Wright Fellow John C. Goodman (above) and NCPA Senior Fellow Laurence J. Kotlikoff (left) explained the negative impacts of the proposed value-added tax (VAT), addressing staff from the Joint Tax Committee and other committees at an NCPA-sponsored Capitol Hill brief ing held in late June.
National Center for Policy Analysis
NCPA News
Wilkinson Appointed to NCPA Board of Directors(continued from page 1)In mid 1985 Wilkinson became the co-majority shareholder and President of Hill & Wilkinson, Ltd. At the time, annual revenue was approximately $10,000,000. His skills in marketing and overall management have been instrumental in the growth of the company. Today the company’s annual revenue in building construction is $300,000,000.
“As a leading business innovator who cares deeply about public policy and how free-market reforms can empower individuals and generate economic growth, Greg Wilkinson is an invaluable asset to our board,” said NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont. “I look forward to serving with him as we work for the continued growth of the NCPA.”
Wilkinson is active in civic and professional organizations, including Boy Scouts of America, United Way and the Texas State University System.
NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont confers his “Board Member” designation ribbon to Greg Wilkinson, the NCPA’s newest Board Member, during the NCPA’s Chairman’s Council in Canada.
Goodman and Kotlikoff Discuss Impact of VAT on Federal Spending(continued from page 1)It is possible to envision a VAT, or some other type of consumption or flat tax, that supplants our disparate system of income, excise and other federal taxes — but not until Congress gets control over runaway spending.
At the briefing, NCPA Senior Fellow Laurence J. Kotlikoff (shown below) explained the mechanics of how a VAT would work and
the negative impact it would have on growing entitlement problems, the budget deficit and federal spending practices. Stephen Entin, President and Executive Director at the Institute for Research on the Economics of Taxation, argued the reasons to oppose the VAT, and Michael Lind, Policy Director of the New America Foundation’s Economic Growth Program, provided arguments in favor of a VAT.
The briefing attracted staff from the Joint Tax Committee and other committees that will be examining the prospects of enacting a VAT.
ALERTNCPA
July/August 2010
Chairman’s CouncilBritish Columbia, Canada May 2–5, 2010
1. Brent Beesley2. NCPA Board Member
Jere Thompson3. (From left to right): Peggy
Thompson and Betty May4. Elise du Pont5. (From l to r): NCPA Board
Member Greg Wilkinson, Jerry Mills, Peggy Thompson (background), and NCPA Policy Chairman Mike Whalen
6. NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont
7. Janice Mills8. NCPA Board Member
Tommy Franks9. Virginia James
10. NCPA Board Member Victor Lattimore and Peggy Wilkinson
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ALERTNCPA
July/August 2010
Chairman’s Council
11. (In background, from l to r): Peggy Wilkinson, Kara Nordstrom, NCPA Policy Chairman Mike Whalen and NCPA Board Member Jere Thompson
12. (From l to r): NCPA Board Member Jere Thompson, Glenn Stinchcomb, NCPA Board Member Greg Wilkinson (background) and NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont
13. Shawn Wells14. (From l to r): Kim Whalen, Peggy Thompson, Kara Nordstrom
(background), Betty May, NCPA Board Member Jere Thompson, Jeanette Goodman and Shawn Wells
15. (From l to r): Elise du Pont, Ernie May, Virginia James and Brent Beesley16. NCPA Policy Chairman Mike Whalen, Charles Murray and NCPA
Board Member Jere Thompson17. Peggy and NCPA Board Member Greg Wilkinson18. Shawn Wells and Ernie May19. Ernie and Betty May20. (Background, clockwise): NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont and
Glenn Stinchcomb.21. (Clockwise from far left): Virginia James, Michael Walker, NCPA Board
Chairman Pete du Pont, Brent Beesley and Elise du Pont22. Kara Nordstrom and Shawn Wells23. Virginia James and Kim Whalen24. Marianne Lattimore
19 20
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National Center for Policy Analysis
Chairman’s Council
31. Cathy Franks32. Marianne Lattimore and NCPA Board Member Greg Wilkinson33. NCPA President and CEO and Kellye Wright Fellow John C. Goodman34. (From l to r): NCPA Board Member Jere Thompson, NCPA Policy
Chairman Mike Whalen, and Charles Murray
25 26
27 28 29
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31 25. NCPA Board Member Victor Lattimore and Betty May
26. Glenn Stinchcomb and NCPA Policy Chairman Mike Whalen
27. NCPA Board Chairman Pete du Pont 28. NCPA Policy Chairman Mike Whalen29. NCPA Board Member Tommy Franks and
Glenn Stinchcomb30. (Background, clockwise): Jerry Mills, Nick
Lewin (entertainer), Dr. Bruce Ames, Peggy Thompson and Ernie May
ALERTNCPA
July/August 2010
Villarreal Discusses Government Bailout, Tax Increases on HoustonPBS Segment
NCPA Major Sponsor of Free-Market Lunch Group in D.C.Senate Banking Committee Chief Economist Jeff Wrase headlined the most recent gathering of the NCPA/Cato Institute free-market lunch group on Capitol Hill. Wrase told the group, including congressional staff members and other influential policy makers, about the sweeping reforms in the financial regulation bill and the broader prospects for increased taxation. The lunch group, currently co-sponsored by the NCPA and the Cato Institute, meets monthly to discuss current happenings on Capitol Hill and the opportunities to promote free-market reforms.
Past speakers have included former director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and former chief economic advisor to Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, McKinsey Institute Founder Bill Lewis, and Tax Foundation President Scott Hodge.
NCPA Legislative Director Brian Williams, in conjuction with the Cato Institute, coordinates a monthly free-market lunch group.
Washington Outreach
On May 21, NCPA Senior Policy Analyst Pamela Villarreal appeared on HoustonPBS public affairs program, “Red, White and Blue,” to discuss the government bailout, private sector vs. government-created jobs, tax increases, and other economic issues affecting the United States.
Villarreal told hosts David Jones and Gary Polland that the problem with the bailout was that a large portion of it went toward creating jobs, and government isn’t very good at creating jobs. She said the government usually spends more money creating jobs than it would cost the private sector to create the same jobs.
On tax increases, Villarreal said that when President Obama was campaigning, he vowed that he wouldn’t raise taxes, and the first thing he did when he got into office was to raise excise taxes. She also pointed out that the problem with tax increases imposed on the wealthy is that most of their wealth comes from capital and many of the proposals for increases are taxing capital. When you tax capital you effect job creation, Villarreal said.
NCPA Senior Policy Analyst Pamela Villarreal appeared on the HoustonPBS public affairs program “Red, White and Blue,” with Mark Lee, Deputy General Counsel in the legal department for American International Group, and hosts Gary Polland and David Jones.
National Center for Policy Analysis July/August, 2010
Designer . . . . . . . . Amber Jones
The NCPA is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. You can contribute to our effort by mailing your donation to our Dallas headquarters or visiting our Web site at www.ncpa.org and clicking “Support Us.” For more information, please contact Eileen Resnik at eileen.resnik@ncpa.org. The NCPA depends solely on the contributions of individuals, corpora-tions and foundations that advocate private sector solutions to public policy problems. All contributions are tax deductible and the NCPA accepts no government grants or contracts.
National Center for Policy AnalysisP.O. Box 650098Dallas, TX 75265-0098
NCPA Alert©
Online Activities
Upcoming NCPA Events
October 5, 2010James Carville and Mary MatalinPolitical strategists and commentators, authors, and former advisors to President Bill Clinton (Carville), President George W. Bush (Matalin), and Vice President Dick Cheney (Matalin)Hilton Anatole Dallas, Texas
NCPA/SumNerS DiStiNguiSheD LeCture SerieS
For reservations, please visit www.ncpa.org/events/
July 29, 2010John C. Goodman, PhD. and
Ron Anderson, M.D.NCPA President John C. Goodman and
Ron Anderson, M.D., President of Dallas’ Parkland Health and Hospital System
Belo Mansion Dallas, Texas
heALth CAre Forum
Online: An Interconnected Network of NCPA IdeasThe NCPA continues to build its online presence with its newly-redesigned Web site and active social media profiles, offering visitors the opportunity to read the latest NCPA ideas on consumer-directed health care, taxes and growth, retirement reform, energy and the environment, and policies that affect families. Through social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Helium, the NCPA not only markets its upcoming events, but it shares its research, newsletters and blog postings with its fans and followers.
Every day, more than 33,000 people visit the NCPA’s •Web sites.The NCPA actively communicates with its 6,300 Twitter •followers and more than 3,000 Facebook fans. More than 10,000 people per day visit John Goodman’s •Health Policy Blog and over 7,100 subscribe to his weekly Health Alert e-mail newsletter.Each business day, more than 424,000 people receive the NCPA’s • Daily Policy Digest newsletter, summarizing all that’s new in the world of ideas.Through the NCPA’s Virtual Library, visitors have access to more than 25,000 documents produced by the •entire public policy community.
By integrating new media campaigns rich in educational content and the latest developments in public policy, the NCPA is establishing one-on-one relationships with its donors, readers and potential consumers.
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