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The following principles guide AARP’s efforts to further budgetary decisions that reflect the needs of all members of society.
Taxation is the primary way governments fund essential programs and services. The following principles support this goal while also ensuring equity in how revenues are raised.
Government budgets reflect the priorities of policymakers. They specify what programs and activities the government will support and how to raise the money needed to fund them.
Governments should avoid enacting laws that are inconsistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent on takings.
A variety of criteria should be used when evaluating proposals to stimulate the economy:
Relief packages for people facing hardships due to economic downturns should be temporary and well-targeted.
Due to their regressive nature, raising state and local sales taxes should not be the first choice for increasing tax revenues.
States and localities should include services in the taxable base to reduce regressivity and improve neutrality.
Exemptions from state retail sales taxes should be narrowly designed to reduce their regressive nature and avoid pyramiding.