Search

Policymakers should take action to raise revenues, promote energy conservation, and reduce climate change.

Carbon taxes or a cap-and-trade systems that would increase energy-related and other prices must include measures to compensate for regional differences in energy costs and

Excise taxes are sales taxes on individual commodities, services, or transactions such as motor fuel, cigarettes, or home sales.

Motor fuel taxes should be indexed for inflation and increased as necessary to fund transportation infrastructure and services.

Excise taxes on individual commodities, such as tobacco or alcohol, should at least keep pace with inflation, such as by levying them on an ad valorem basis.

States charge fees for the use of certain services. These fees are based on the principle that people should pay according to the benefits they receive.

User fees should bear a direct relationship to the services received.

Public assets should not be sold to raise revenue if the sale would sacrifice resources that serve important national and regional purposes.

Taxes can be complicated. And they can pose compliance issues. Sometimes noncompliance is unintentional, but other times it is intentional.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the states should increase support for taxpayer assistance programs such as the Tax Counseling for the Elderly and the Vo