Die Steuerreform: Zum “Wann und Wie” der Durchführung

Concerning the Tax Reform 2000 point of time and design are controversial. Because of the anyway high level of public debt a pre-drawing of the next stage of tax reform can not be financed by government borrowing argues Rolf Peffekoven. Furthermore he points out that “Länder und Gemeinden” have to accept additional public debt. Though additional tax cut is necessary for higher growth and higher employment, it must be financed by cutting down public spending, particularly transfer payments and subsidies. The different treatment of revenues contravenes the tax structure and leads to efficiency losses. Therefore Peffekoven contributes that a reform must take into consideration the principle of equal treatment, independent of source. But a comprehensive tax reform is linked to the abolishment of German trade tax (Gewerbesteuer).Manfred Rose evaluates German tax reform by highlighting the conceptual framework that various reform measures can be attributed to. Due to a lack of understanding as regards economic effects of taxes, the German system of taxing personal and corporate income has become arbitrary and complicated. This makes the case for a fundamental reform towards an efficient, equitable and simple tax system. While some of the measures taken in the German tax reform contribute to a more efficient and equitable system, others seem to aggravate existing problems. This applies to income as well as corporate taxation. In his final section Rose characterizes a possible reform direction as proposed in the “Einfachsteuer” - a proposal for a fundamental reform of the German tax system. Wolfgang Schön determinates that although the year 2001 confronted taxpayers, tax advisors and tax administration with the largest tax reform for decades, the advocates of another, even more comprehensive tax reform raise their voice. They will have to bear in mind that a coming reform must answer various questions, the author argues. For example: Shall we retain the classical income tax or move to a consumption-based approach? How shall we reach tax neutrality with respect to the legal form, the source of income, the finance side of an investment and the allocation of profits? What substitute do we find for the anachronistic trade tax (“Gewerbesteuer”)? How do we guarantee the international compatibility of German tax law after another fundamental tax reform?