Today, Americans for Tax Reform announces the launch of its new affiliate, the Cost of Government Center. The Cost of Government Center will focus on how government spending and regulation increase the burden of government on taxpayers. The Center will also concentrate on ending discriminatory excise taxes on goods and services. Building on the success of ATR’s annual Cost of Government Day report, the Center will uncover how the threat of big government is driven by excessive spending, onerous regulation and targeted tax hikes.

Mattie Duppler, Executive Director of the Cost of Government Center, issued the following statement:

“The Cost of Government Center will serve as a critical resource for policymakers and activists dedicated to shrinking the size of government. We are excited to complement the important work done by Americans for Tax Reform by emphasizing the role over-regulation and overspending play in the broader debate on taxes. The Center will also focus directly on the discriminatory nature of excise taxes and the growing threat they pose to employers and taxpayers.”

The Cost of Government Center will also provide research papers and policy analysis regarding the regulatory state and its impact on employers and industries. The Center will continue to produce the annual Cost of Government Day report and Tax Bites, a publication that uncovers how taxes drive up the price of popular goods and services.

“Americans for Tax Reform works to make taxes simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today,” said Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist. “The pressure to raise taxes is increased when government spends too much. ATR’s mission to prevent tax hikes will be aided immensely by the Center’s efforts to cut spending, alleviating pressure on otherwise prudent lawmakers to increase revenues. It is important also to note that when revenue-hungry lawmakers are prevented from raising taxes—as they have been done by the ATR Taxpayer Protection Pledge—they try to regulate. The Center will be the next line of defense against the growing regulatory regime.”
 

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Posted by Mattie Duppler on Thursday, January 26, 2012 10:23 AM EST

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