Issue Two June 2004

With responses to the information survey received from a third of NTA members from 41 states and 11 other countries, here’s how we look. For details and the form if you need one, see the NETWORK at http://www.ntanet.org.

• Geographic–Approximately 25% of members are in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The next largest groups are in New York (7.5%), California (6.5%), Massachusetts (4.5%), Pennsylvania (3.9%), and Florida and Illinois (3.4% each). About 6.6% come from outside the U.S. , including Argentina , Belgium , Canada , Chile , Denmark , Germany , Italy , Japan , Portugal , Spain , and Switzerland

• Education/Training–Economics tops the list at nearly 67%. Next highest are accounting (13%), public policy (12.5%), and law (11%). The most popular combinations are economics/public policy and accounting/business administration/law. Other disciplines reported include history, mathematics, payment systems, political economy, political science, psychology, public administration/affairs, public budgeting, public finance, taxation, and urban planning.

• Employment–Approximately 54% of the respondents are academics. Next highest are federal/national government (14.5%), U.S. and international organizations (7.9%), state/local government (6.6%), and business and industry (6%.)

ON THE NTA AGENDA

34^th ANNUAL WICHITA PROGRAM—Appraisal for Ad Valorem Taxation for Communications, Energy and Transportation Properties, July 25-July 29. Co-sponsored by NTA with Wichita State University . For information, see http://www.ntanet.org or contact the Center for Management Development, (316) 978-3118 or http://www.cmd.wichita.edu.

NTA SESSION AT ASSA MEETING

Donald Bruce at The University of Tennessee Knoxville has organized the following session for ASSA / American Economic Association Meetings, Philadelphia , January 7-9, 2005 .
Session Title: Behavioral Responses to Tax Policies: Empirical Evidence 
Presenters:
Karie Barbour, Illinois State University , Effects of Motor Vehicle Wealth Taxes on Vehicle Age Distributions and Emissions
James Alm, Georgia State University , and Mark Skidmore, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater , Who Pays the Gasoline Tax?
Karen Smith Conway, University of New Hampshire , and Jonathan C. Rork, Vassar College , State Income Tax Preferences for the Elderly
Discussants:
Sarah E. West, Macalester College
Reagan Baughman, University of New Hampshire
Karen M. Pence, Federal Reserve Board of Governors

Ideas for the 2006 session may be sent to Robert Bohm at The University of Tennessee, rbohm@utk.edu.

RESEARCH NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

On April 23-24, 2004 , Joel Slemrod of the Office of Tax Policy Research, along with Edward J. McCaffery of the USC-Caltech Center for the Study of Law and Politics, sponsored a conference in Ann Arbor entitled Behavioral Public Finance: Toward a New Agenda. The conference featured 12 papers from leading scholars in economics, law, and psychology describing the latest empirical, theoretical, and normative research on the application of behavioral economics–that explores the implications of non-rational behavior–to tax and government expenditure programs. One of the main goals was to begin to sculpt an agenda for this nascent field by relating the research to a set of key questions. The research ranged in approach from theoretical investigations to field experiments to laboratory experiments to econometric analyses. The conference discussions were highly interactive and highlighted the advantage of an interdisciplinary approach to this question.

In 2005, James Hines and Joel Slemrod of the Office of Tax Policy Research, along with Alan Auerbach, of the Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public Finance at the University of California , Berkeley , will sponsor a conference entitled Taxing Corporate Income in the 21^st Century. Leading scholars will be commissioned to study the economic effects of taxation and the interrelationship among accounting, governance, and taxation issues. Their findings will be presented at an open conference and the project results will be published in a conference volume.

MEMBER NEWS

“Eugene Steuerle is one of Washington 's ranking policy wonks—a term used here with respect. He’s forgotten more about taxes in the last 15 seconds than most of us will ever know. He arrived in Washington in 1974, worked for years at the Treasury and moved in 1989 to the Urban Institute, a think tank. Steuerle has just written a book, ‘Contemporary U.S. Tax Policy’, that ought to be studied by every member of Congress and, more important, addresses the insistent question: why is the federal tax system such a mess?” (Robert J. Samuelson, The Price of Democracy, Newsweek, May 17, 2004 )

NTA AWARDS

Richard Musgrave Prize. The National Tax Journal Editorial Advisory Board has chosen Jonathan Gruber and Peter Orszag as the winners of the 2003 Musgrave Prize for their paper in the December 2003 issue titled “Does the Social Security Earnings Test Affect Labor Supply and Benefits Receipt?” Morris Beck Paper. The next commissioned Morris Beck Paper is by David Wildasin on “The Institutions of Federalism: Toward an Analytical Framework” (June 2004).

NATIONAL TAX JOURNAL  JUNE 2004

PART 1
Interstate Competition and State Lottery Revenues—Mehmet Serkan Tosun and Mark Skidmore
Are All Lotteries Regressive? Evidence from the Powerball—Emily Oster
An Empirical Examination of the Impact of College Financial Aid on Family Savings—James Monks
Audit Selection and Firm Compliance with a Broad-based Sales Tax—James Alm, Calvin Blackwell and Michael McKee
Taxation and Risk-Taking with Multiple Tax Rates—David A. Weisbach
Morris Beck Paper: The Institutions of Federalism: Toward an Analytical Framework—David E. Wildasin

PART 2 - SPECIAL ISSUE: TAX INCENTIVES AND SAVING
Who Benefits from the Saving Incentives? Income, Educational Expectations and the Value of the 529 and Coverdell—Susan Dynarski
Employee Stock Purchase Plans—Gary V. Engelhardt and Brigitte C. Madrian
The Alternative Minimum Tax and Effective Marginal Tax Rates—Daniel Feenberg and James M. Poterba
Estate and Gift Tax Incentives and Inter Vivos Giving—David Joulfaian and Kathleen McGarry
Top Wealth Shares in the United States, 1916-2000: Evidence from Estate Tax Returns—Wojciech Kopczuk and Emmanuel Saez
Valuing Assets in Retirement Saving Accounts—James M. Poterba

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Luigi Bernardi, University of Pavia , Italy
Joseph C. Bright, Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen  LLP, Philadelphia
Ann Courter, Voices for Illinois Children, Chicago
Tae Ho Eom, Maxwell School , Syracuse University , Syracuse NY
Naomi E. Feldman, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor
Jason Fletcher, University of Wisconsin , Madison
Pamela J. Jackson, Congressional Research Service
Jeffrey Kahn, Law School , Santa Clara University , Santa Clara CA
Peter Katuscak, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor
Joomi Kim, Ernst & Young , Washington DC
Edward D. Kleinbard, Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton , New York NY
David W. LaRue, University of Virginia , Charlottesville
Deniz Leuenberger, University of Nebraska , Omaha
Hari S. Luitel, West Virginia University , Morgantown
Christopher Mayer, Columbia University, New York NY
Norbert J. Michel, The Heritage Foundation, Washington DC
Brigitte W. Muehlmann, Bentley College , Waltham MA
Ray Nelson, Inst. of Business Management, Brigham Young University , Provo UT
Bruce Perlstein, Mill Valley CA
James Q. Riordan, Quentin Partners, Stuart FL
Alison M. Shelton, AARP, Washington DC
Monica Singhal, Harvard University , Cambridge MA
Gloria Teixeira, School of Law, University of Porto,Portugal
Jean-Pierre Vidal, HEC, University of Montreal
Jian A. Zhou, Internal Revenue Service, Washington DC

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Vacancy Announcement 04-07      Revenue Estimator/Tax Analysis Division
The Tax Analysis Division is seeking an economic analyst who will: (1) develop baseline budget estimates and estimate revenue gains and losses from legislative proposals; and (2) conduct empirical research on federal tax policy issues and short-term analyses of current legislative proposals, and prepare CBO studies. 
       Qualifications: At least a Master’s degree in economics, public policy, or a related field; a strong economic and quantitative background; experience performing quantitative analysis in economic, tax, or closely related fields, excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to meet deadlines; and interest in the congressional budget process.
        Salary and Benefits: Salaries are competitive and will be commensurate with experience, education, and other qualifications. CBO offers an excellent benefits package and an attractive work environment.
        How to Apply: Refer to Vacancy Announcement 04-07. E-mail to jobs@cbo.gov a cover letter, resume, salary history, unofficial academic transcripts (recent graduates), 2 references, and a brief writing sample. Or FAX application to (202) 755-1100 or 225-7539. Contact: Nancy A. Fahey, phone 202-226-2628 (Phone). For more information, please see www.cbo.gov.

NEW YORK CITY OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET/DEPUTY DIRECTOR 
        The New York City Office of Management and Budget (OMB) seeks a deputy director to lead its work: (1) forecasting economic activity; (2) predicting the city’s tax revenues; and (3) analyzing economic development strategies and policies. For additional information, please see www.omb.nyc.gov.
        The general challenge is to maintain and improve the timeliness, accuracy, and value added effectiveness of OMB’s economic activity and revenue forecasts, policy recommendations, and economic development analyses. As a senior OMB officer, she or he must also add expert management and planning capability to OMB’s general financial and budgetary functions.
        Qualifications: Ph.D. level technical expertise, substantial experience (at least 10 years) in municipal financial projections and analysis, people-oriented leadership skills, unquestioned integrity, and clear enthusiasm for this assignment.
Salary and Benefits: Salary (roughly $140,000) and benefits will be competitive within OMB. New York City residency is required within 90 days of appointment.
      How to Apply: Send inquiries, referrals, and resumes (electronic submission encouraged), with a cover letter addressing the future of the OMB and including professional references, to: Liz Vago, Internal Box 2819, Isaacson, Miller, 334 Boylston Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02116Phone: 978-744-6528 (Phone) - 978-744-6528/617-262-6509 (FAX) - lvago@imsearch.com

THE TAX FOUNDATION/ CHIEF ECONOMIST
        The chief economist, who reports to the president, leads the Tax Foundation’s economic team and oversees a research program that encompasses state and local, federal, and international tax policy, leads development of models, databases, technical capabilities and publications, serves as the Foundation’s lead policy voice to the media, public, and elected officials.
Qualifications: Preferably 7-10 years in the public policy field in a think tank, Congress, or the Executive Branch; graduate degree (MA-Ph.D.); broad knowledge of individual and corporate tax policy; strong body of public policy and academic publications; solid quantitative, database, and modeling skills; ability to lead a team of in-house economists and manage adjunct scholars; and experience in interacting with the media and in public speaking. 
Salary: Competitive and commensurate with experience. 
How to Apply: Please contact: Scott Hodge, President, (202) 464-5103 or shodge@taxfoundation.org.

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