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Tax and Budget Policy

Cato scholars examine federal, state, and local spending and tax issues from a limited government perspective. They explore the benefits of lower-rate tax systems, the distortions caused by government spending, and the dangers of rising debt. A guiding principle for budget policy is federalism, the idea that federal activities should be limited and that most government activities are better handled by the states.

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  • February 1, 2023
    Research Briefs in Economic Policy
    No. 318
    The Change in Poverty from 1995 to 2016 among Single-Parent Families
    The Change in Poverty from 1995 to 2016 among Single-Parent Families
    We find that single-parent-family poverty, after accounting for taxes and nonmedical in-kind transfers, declined by 62 percent between 1995 and 2016 using the Comprehensive Income Dataset.
    By Kevin Corinth, Bruce D. Meyer, and Derek Wu
  • January 17, 2023
    Briefing Paper
    No. 147
    Fintech Fraud or Federal Failure?
    Fintech Fraud or Federal Failure?
    For over 50 years, the government has increasingly deputized banks and other financial institutions as deputy law enforcement investigators under the Bank Secrecy Act.
    By Nicholas Anthony
  • January 9, 2023
    Briefing Paper
    No. 144
    A Fiscal Agenda for the 118th Congress
    A Fiscal Agenda for the 118th Congress
    Reaching the debt limit is an important wake-up call to legislators to correct unsustainable spending.
    By Romina Boccia
  • December 7, 2022
    Policy Analysis
    No. 938
    Keeping North Carolina’s Housing Affordable
    Keeping North Carolina’s Housing Affordable
    If it fails to reform housing regulation, North Carolina risks going down the path that leads to exploding housing prices, slower growth, and increased poverty and homelessness.
    By Michael D. Tanner
  • October 12, 2022
    White Paper
    Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors 2022
    Fiscal Policy Report Card on America’s Governors 2022
    This report grades governors on their fiscal policies from a limited‐​government perspective. Governors receiving an A are those who have cut taxes and spending the most, whereas governors receiving an F have increased taxes and spending the most.
    By Chris Edwards and Ilana Blumsack
  • September 20, 2022
    Visual Feature
    The Myth of American Income Inequality
    The Myth of American Income Inequality
    Official statistics overstate income inequality by a factor of four and claim that inequality has been rising when it has actually been falling for the past 70 years.
    By John F. Early
  • August 17, 2022
    Research Briefs in Economic Policy
    No. 299
    Was Pandemic Fiscal Relief Effective Fiscal Stimulus? Evidence from Aid to State and Local Governments
    Was Pandemic Fiscal Relief Effective Fiscal Stimulus? Evidence from Aid to State and Local Governments
    Over the course of the pandemic, federal fiscal assistance has been distributed through a variety of channels, including general aid to states, general aid to local governments, and aid appropriated for specific functions of state and local governments, such as funding for education and transit systems.
    By Jeffrey Clemens, Philip G. Hoxie, and Stan Veuger
  • July 12, 2022
    Visual Feature
    The Government Debt Iceberg
    The Government Debt Iceberg
    When people speak of our current debts in historical context, it’s important to remember that what we see today is only the tip of a much bigger problem to come.
    By Ryan Bourne
  • January 12, 2022
    Research Briefs in Economic Policy
    No. 282
    Expansionary Monetary Policy Increases Inequality
    Expansionary Monetary Policy Increases Inequality
    As a first extension of our analysis, we study the distributional effects of monetary policy on consumption and wealth accumulation.
    By Asger Lau Andersen, Niels Johannesen, Mia Jørgensen, & José-Luis Peydró
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