Tax Breaks, Transparency, and Accountability

Greg LeRoy, founder of Good Jobs First, surveys current trends in state and local governments offering tax breaks and other incentives for business location, detailing deal disclosures captured in the Subsidy Tracker. With the adoption of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board GASB Statement No. 77 on Tax Abatement Disclosures, a new era of transparency is unfolding, as governments must account for revenue lost to corporate tax breaks. LeRoy’s presentation is followed by a conversation with Lincoln Institute President George W. “Mac” McCarthy. This event was the second in a yearlong series that is part of the Lincoln Institute’s campaign to promote municipal fiscal health.