Press Releases

SACRAMENTO—With momentum building for comprehensive tax reform in California, State Controller Betty T. Yee today appointed a Council of Economic Advisors to assess the impact of proposals across the spectrum of taxpayer constituencies.

The nine-member council will include experts from a variety of backgrounds including academia, economics, business, and government. The group’s core objective is to review and comment on the potential impacts of numerous tax reform proposals. Working with data from the California Board of Equalization, California Franchise Tax Board, and State Controller’s Office, the council members will assess the workability of proposals including practical effects, unintended consequences, and prospective alternatives.

“California needs a tax system that reflects the 21^st century economy, is less vulnerable during economic downturns, and is more sustainable, providing greater certainty from year to year,” said Controller Yee, the state’s chief fiscal officer. “While multiple reform proposals have merit, they must be examined within the context of comprehensive tax reform with a focus on fairness to all taxpayers. My Council of Economic Advisors will serve as the singular nonpartisan source of perspectives for tax reform proposals. With 10 years of experience serving on the State Board of Equalization, I believe the workability of tax proposals must be evaluated prior to their enactment such that application of the enacted provisions is clear.”

The Controller’s Council of Economic Advisors includes:

• Dr. Alan Auerbach – Professor of Economics and Law at University of California, Berkeley, and Director of the Robert D. Burch Center for Tax Policy and Public Finance
• Dr. Imran Angelov Farooq – Director of Center for Economic Development & Innovation at University of California, Riverside, and Partner at The Omnius Group
• David Gamage – Assistant Professor of Law at University of California, Berkeley
• Ruben Gonzalez – Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Political Affairs at Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
• Tracey Grose – Vice President of Bay Area Council Economic Institute
• Jennifer Ito – Project Manager at University of Southern California Program for Environmental and Regional Equity
• Hon. Mike Machado – State Senator (Retired) and Farmer/Business Owner
• Kim Rueben – Senior Fellow at Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and Affiliated Scholar at Public Policy Institute of California
• Kim Walesh – Director of Economic Development and Deputy City Manager for City of San Jose

Ms. Grose will serve as chair of the council. Controller Yee will convene the first meeting of the council in Sacramento in May.

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