Surveillance of Tax Policies

Abstract

Taxation is inevitable in modern economies to finance public spending, which is aimed at meeting fundamental economic and social objectives. However, efficiency losses associated with taxation need to be taken into account when the cost and benefits of public expenditure to be funded are being assessed. The public perception of the fairness of tax systems, the practical enforceability of tax rules and the cost arising from compliance are other important considerations. Against this backdrop, the OECD has reviewed in the past two years the tax systems of a number of Member countries in its periodical Economic Surveys. The analysis and policy recommendations emerging from these reviews may provide some useful lessons for other OECD countries, and these are pulled together in this paper.JEL classification: H2.

Can Tax Policy Contribute to the Crisis?

“…As [8] and next [9] have stated, the deductibility of mortgage interest, by reducing the user cost of ownership, decreases the price elasticity of demand; it therefore increases the volatility of the housing market. In general, the price sensitivity of demand for housing is inversely related to the extent of preferential tax treatment for housing and to the expected rate of house price appreciation.…”