How can Congress best help state and local governments?
Past Event
The new Biden administration and Congress will likely prioritize helping states and localities hit hard financially by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the question of how the federal government can best support spending at a local and state level — through tax deductions for individuals, or via direct grants, for example — is a long-standing one. Which policies are the most effective? What about unintended consequences and incentives?
On January 13, the Future of the Middle Class Initiative at Brookings hosted an event with leading policy experts from the Urban Institute, the Economic Policy Institute, the Niskanen Center, and Brookings. These scholars presented different options and ideas for state and local funding reform and participated in a panel discussion on the different advantages of their respective plans.
Viewers submitted questions via email to events@brookings.edu or via Twitter using the hashtag #SALTdeductions.
Agenda
Welcome and introduction
Richard V. Reeves
John C. and Nancy D. Whitehead Chair
Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Director - Future of the Middle Class Initiative
Presentations and panel discussion
Josh Bivens
Director of Research - Economic Policy Institute
Joshua McCabe
Senior Fellow - Niskanen Center
Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean - Endicott College
Louise Sheiner
The Robert S. Kerr Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Policy Director - The Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy
William G. Gale
The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy
Senior Fellow - Economic Studies
Director - Retirement Security Project
Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center
Session Materials
More Information
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