Replacing Pis and Cofins - and Why Not the Cpmf? - by a Non-Cumulative Contribution
Cascading taxes are responsible in Brazil for almost 25% of total revenue raised by the three levels of government. This is harmful to the country's economic performance and to her international trade balance. In this paper, the sectoral burdens of Brazilian cascading social contributions, as well as their impacts on exports and imports, are estimated, and their harmful effects on the economy are discussed. Substitution of a value added contribution for the cascading ones is proposed. It is suggested that, in view of urgency and notwithstanding some sacrifice of its quality, the new tax be created simply by means of an ordinary law, without amending the Constitution. Most desirable features of the tax that can be created without changing the terms of the Brazilian Constitution are discussed. The uniform rate necessary to keep tax revenue constant and changes in sectoral tax payments that would arise are estimated.
Bank Debit Taxes in Latin America: An Analysis of Recent Trends
Six Latin American countries have levied taxes on withdrawals from bank accounts, which have been viewed as a convenient tax handle during a difficult fiscal period. The paper reviews the arguments for and against this type of taxation, describes the taxes, and surveys their revenue performance and economic impact. It concludes that the recently implemented taxes have been successful in raising revenue in the short term, but that adverse allocational impacts have likely been significant. The tax may work better in times of fiscal crisis, when financial intermediation is deep, and when the tax rate is modest.
International Financial Flows and Transactions Taxes: Survey and Options
Tobin has suggested that exchange rate volatility be controlled through a tax on international financial transactions. This analysis shows that the Tobin tax as a pure transaction tax is not viable. The tax would impair financial operations and create international liquidity problems. It is also unlikely to deter speculation. However, a possible alternative would be a two-tier rate structure--consisting of a low-rate transaction tax plus an exchange surcharge. The exchange rate could move freely within a "crawling" exchange rate band, but overshooting the band would trigger a tax on an "externality," which is the discrepancy between the market exchange rate and the closest margin of the band. The scheme is inspired by the European Monetary System. However, exchange rates would be kept within the target range through a tax not through interest policy or central bank sterilization and, eventually, the depletion of international reserves.