We retired Tax Justice Blog in April 2017. For new content on issues related to tax justice, go to www.justtaxesblog.org
Congress should end its practice of passing, every couple of years, a so-called “tax extenders” bill that reenacts a laundry list of tax breaks that are officially temporary and that mostly benefit corporations, without offsetting the cost. A new report from Citizens for Tax Justice explains that none of the tax extenders can be said to help Americans so much that they should be enacted regardless of their impact on the budget deficit and other, more worthwhile programs. It is entirely inappropriate that lawmakers refuse to fund infrastructure repairs or Head Start slots for children unless the costs are offset, while routinely extending these tax breaks without paying for them.
The tax breaks usually considered part of the “tax extenders” were last enacted as part of the deal addressing the “fiscal cliff” in January of 2013. At that time most of the provisions were extended one year retroactively and one year going forward, through 2013. As these tax breaks approach their scheduled expiration date at the end of this year, they are again in the news.
