McCain calls for panel to institute tax reform

By Dan Gearino | Thursday, October 11, 2007

DES MOINES — Republican presidential candidate John McCain said Wednesday that the best way to overhaul the tax code is to take a page from the process used to close military bases.

“We could develop a simpler, fairer tax code using the best minds in America,” McCain said during the taping of the Iowa Public Television program “Iowa Press.”

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, said Congress should appoint a bipartisan commission to study tax policy. The commission would agree on a plan and Congress would have to approve or reject the plan with no amendments.

He said the idea is based on the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, a panel first convened in the late-1980s in an attempt to remove political considerations from base closures.

“This process has been successful for eliminating unnecessary bases, so I think it could have a chance in addressing the complexities in the tax code,” he said.

The topic came when McCain was asked if he supports a flat income tax or a consumption tax.

“I would sign either one if they came across my desk, but I don’t think either one are the complete solution,” he said.

He suggested Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, would be a good choice to chair a tax commission.

McCain said the commission would be able to avoid the pressure from special interest groups that harm most attempts at tax reform.

Rep. Tom Sands, R-Columbus Junction, said McCain’s idea could work, as long as the commission is mindful of the consequences of significant change. Sands is the top Iowa House Republican on tax issues.

“When you do something with tax policy, it needs to be done in increments to a certain extent,” he said.

Dan Gearino can be contacted at  (515) 243-0138 or dan.gearino@lee.net.