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Tax Law

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2020

Realization

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Avoiding Federal And State Constitutional Limitations In Taxation, Henry Ordower Jan 2020

Avoiding Federal And State Constitutional Limitations In Taxation, Henry Ordower

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This article reviews some federal and state constitutional law challenges to tax legislation in the US and considers how taxing and other revenue raising legislation tends to withstand constitutional challenge.

Part I of this article examines instances in which the Supreme Court reviewed state taxing laws for conflict with the Constitution and overruled its earlier decisions in similar cases. One case involving a poll or capitation tax worked its way through the courts as the Constitution was being amended to prevent the states from using a poll tax in the future. Another case from 2018 resolves a longstanding tax collection …


Capital, An Elusive Tax Object And Impediment To Sustainable Taxation, Henry Ordower Jan 2020

Capital, An Elusive Tax Object And Impediment To Sustainable Taxation, Henry Ordower

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Sustainable taxation requires stability and predictability. Sustainable taxation is a tax or taxes that collect sufficient revenue to support the governmental goods and services the society needs and wants. The taxes must provide for 1) even-handedness -- something akin to horizontal equity, 2) distributional fairness -- a concept emerging from notions of vertical equity, 3) transparency in application so that the populace understands and accepts the tax and the need for it and 4) collection mechanisms that do not favor some societal groups, especially those with resources to secure creative tax advisors, over others who lack the resources. Narrow base …