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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. One way to do this is by levying them on an ad valorem basis.
State and local governments 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 directly relate to the services received. They should not unfairly burden people with low incomes or unduly limit access to public services.
Public assets should not be sold to raise revenue if the sale would sacrifice resources that serve important national and regional purposes.
Taxes are complicated. Compliance often poses challenges.
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 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program
The IRS and state revenue departments should increase their efforts to make tax forms—including electronic forms, publications, and correspondence—more accessible and understandable.
The government should simplify the recovery of money withheld each year and reduce the need for older individuals who do not owe income tax to file tax returns.
The IRS should continue encouraging taxpayers to file electronically but maintain the option of paper filing without penalty.