Tax policy can dramatically shape the availability of economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income workers. Taxes generate revenue for public goods and services, such as healthcare, infrastructure, and education, which significantly affect low- and moderate-income workers’ ability to connect to and thrive in today’s economy. Certain tax credits – such as the EITC and the Child Tax Credit – are targeted to low- and moderate-income working families to supplement incomes and encourage work. Additionally, taxes influence the behaviors of corporations, including their decisions of where to locate, how many and what kind of jobs to create, and what benefits and compensation to offer workers. As Congress and the White House consider reforms to US tax policy, we invite you to explore how the most-discussed reforms would affect low- and moderate-income workers if implemented. In this lunchtime conversation held at the Aspen Institute, a diverse panel of experts considered the many ways that tax policy shapes economic opportunities, reflect on the ideas and proposals put forth to date, and highlight areas where tax reform could benefit working people, corporations, and the United States economy more broadly.
This event features Alex Brill (Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute), Frank Clemente (Executive Director, Americans for Tax Fairness), Mireya Eavey (Sarasota Area President, United Way Suncoast), and moderator Jeanne Sahadi (Senior Writer, CNNMoney).
This event is part of the Working in America series, an ongoing discussion series hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program that highlights an array of critical issues affecting low- and moderate-income workers in the United States and ideas for improving and expanding economic opportunities for working people. For more information, visit as.pn/workinginamerica.
The Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 25 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals’ opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity. Learn more at as.pn/eop.