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Tax Expenditures, the Size and Efficiency of Government, and Implications for Budget Reform

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  • Leonard E. Burman
  • Marvin Phaup

Abstract

One possible explanation for the difficulty in controlling the budget is that a major component of spending--tax expenditures--receives privileged status. It is treated as tax cuts rather than as spending. This paper explores the implications of that classification and illustrates how it can lead to higher taxes, larger government, and an inefficient mix of spending (too many tax expenditures). The paper then analyzes alternative budgeting approaches that would explicitly incorporate and measure tax expenditures. It concludes by analyzing ways to control tax expenditures (and other spending) and the special challenges presented by tax expenditures.

Suggested Citation

  • Leonard E. Burman & Marvin Phaup, 2012. "Tax Expenditures, the Size and Efficiency of Government, and Implications for Budget Reform," Tax Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(1), pages 93-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:tpolec:doi:10.1086/665504
    DOI: 10.1086/665504
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Leonard E. Burman & Christopher Geissler & Eric J. Toder, 2008. "How Big Are Total Individual Income Tax Expenditures, and Who Benefits from Them?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(2), pages 79-83, May.
    2. Davie, Bruce F., 1994. "Tax Expenditures in the Federal Excise Tax System," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 47(1), pages 39-62, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Salvador Barrios & Flavia Coda Moscarola & Francesco Figari & Luca Gandullia, 2020. "Size and distributional pattern of pension-related tax expenditures in European countries," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(5), pages 1287-1320, October.
    2. Petr Zimčík, 2016. "Velikost veřejného sektoru a ekonomický růst [The Scope of Government and Economic Growth]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2016(4), pages 439-450.
    3. Marè, M.; & Porcelli, F.; & Vidoli, F.;, 2024. "Does private supply drive personal health choices? A spatial approach of health tax detractions at municipal level," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 24/03, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    4. Mukherjee, Sacchidananda, 2022. "Trends and Patterns of Tax Expenditures on Union Taxes in India," Working Papers 22/380, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
    5. Joseph Teyu Chou & Chien-Hao Fu, 2022. "Which Families Benefited from the Recent Personal Income Tax Reform in Taiwan: Evidence from the Administrative Data," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 43(3), pages 433-451, September.
    6. Leonard Burman, 2013. "Pathways to Tax Reform Revisted," Center for Policy Research Working Papers 155, Center for Policy Research, Maxwell School, Syracuse University.

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