Friday, February 29, 2008

Medical Expense Deductions for Embryo and Cord Blood Storage

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Every once in a while, a tax question comes along that isn't easily answered. Nothing in the Internal Revenue Code, the Treasury Regulat...
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

The Artificiality of Mandatory Grading Curves

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Last fall, in Yet More Reasons to Dislike Grading Curves , I explained why I do not think grading curves are appropriate. The discussion aro...
Monday, February 25, 2008

Another Public Official Convicted of Failure to File Tax Returns

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Late Friday evening, a federal jury returned a verdict convicting Milton Street, brother of Philadelphia's former mayor, John Street, of...
Friday, February 22, 2008

Tax and Other Courses Ought Not Be Easy

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When I read Paul Caron's post on the publication of Attractiveness, Easiness and Other Issues: Student Evaluations of Professors on Rate...
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Do the Tax Rebates Cheer You Up?

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Last week, in Can Tax Rebates Help Prove Malthus Wrong? , I responded to Joe Kristan's reaction, in GOOD MORNING! WE'RE ALL DOOMED! ...
Monday, February 18, 2008

Mileage-Based Road Fees, Yet Again

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It appears that America is beginning to pay attention to the dangers posed by highway, bridge, and tunnel degradation that has become increa...
Friday, February 15, 2008

Getting Those Tax Rebates Might Not Be So Easy

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Across the nation, large numbers of citizens are looking forward to receiving a rebate check from the federal government. I doubt very many ...
Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Can Tax Rebates Help Prove Malthus Wrong?

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Joe Kristan, who writes the Roth & Company, P.C. Tax Update Blog , has reacted to my most recent tax rebate post, Can a Tax Rebate Band-...
Monday, February 11, 2008

Can a Tax Rebate Band-Aid Stop the Economic Bleeding?

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So the economy-saving tax rebate is about to become law. According to this CNN story , the President is expected to sign the legislation thi...
Friday, February 08, 2008

A User Fee That Makes Sense

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A recent New York Times story, Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags explores a user fee that accomplishes what user fees should be ...
Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Not the Sort of Tax Loss Taxpayers Prefer

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During the past few years, I've commented from time to time on the disarray afflicting the Philadelphia real property tax assessment pro...
Monday, February 04, 2008

Another Sip of the Drink Tax

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Last week, in No One Drinks to This Tax , I questioned the wisdom of limiting such a tax to center city establishments rather than all estab...
Friday, February 01, 2008

What's In a Tax Label?

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In remarks at a press conference covered by BNA , Senator Charles Grassley described the provision in H.R. 2419 codifying an economic substa...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

No One Drinks to This Tax

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Philadelphia has a by-the-drink tax on alcoholic beverages served in bars and restaurants. Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, has ...
Monday, January 28, 2008

Improved Rebate Deal Better But Still Falls Short

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Several of the criticisms that I and others levelled against the original tax rebate component of the proposed economic stimulus plan, as no...
Friday, January 25, 2008

Something Better Than a Tax Rebate?

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In a Wednesday editorial, Make the Tax Cuts Work , Len Burman suggests that a good way to stimulate the economy and head off or shorten a r...
Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Who Should Get a Tax Rebate?

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The idea of boosting the economy through a tax rebate has once again surfaced as politicians in Washington seek to find the appropriate band...
Monday, January 21, 2008

Tax Busy-ness in the Pennsylvania Legislature

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During the past week, the Pennsylvania legislature has been very active in the world of taxation. On Thursday, as reported in this Philadelp...
Friday, January 18, 2008

The Return of the Federal Gasoline Tax Increase Proposal

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The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission (NSTPRSC) has recommended an increase in the federal gasoline tax. A...