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At the federal level, the two categories of budgetary expenditures are entitlement and discretionary spending.
Block grants and unfunded mandates are two government budgetary practices that can have significant implications for lower levels of government.
Federal and state governments have tried to change budget rules to control government spending. Budget rules have also been used to impose fiscal discipline.
Under the U.S. Constitution, people are entitled to compensation when a government takes their property. This is known as a taking.
How to improve the tax code is the subject of much debate. Proponents of reform often call for increasing fairness and simplicity. But people define those concepts in different ways.
Policymakers use the tax system to raise revenue and to promote social policy goals. For example, tax breaks may be provided to encourage home ownership.
Most states and localities generate a significant portion of state and local revenue from the taxation of retail sales. Such taxes are attractive because they are relatively easy to administer.
The mainstay of local taxation is the tax on real estate, known as the property tax. It is used to fund an array of critical state and local services, most notably public schools.
The primary sources of government revenue are income, sales, and property taxes.