Foreword Facts and Figures on Government Finance, 1944, is not only a successor to similar earlier volumes published by the TaxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. Foundation—it has in this edition extended its usefulness by including sections on national income and public administration.
The American people are now thoroughly sensitive to tax policies. The day is ended when tax watchfulness was the concern only of the research bureau, the government official or the industrial tax expert. With his standard of living inextricably bound up with each fiscal development; with the fruits of victory dependent upon the wisdom of current fiscal policy; and with the future world being fashioned by the governmental decisions of today, the citizen wants, as never before, to know the facts and figures on government finance.
The trends are presented in this volume. Gathered in these pages are statistics from all levels of government. Insofar as is possible in a constantly changing world, the charts and tables are as complete and inclusive as they could be in March of 1944.
When the first edition in this series was issued, the Tax Foundation predicted that there had been a long-felt seed for such a collection of data. All who strive for public economies the editor harassed by his deadline; the legislator acting under the pressure of events; the student trying to create orderly processes from the chaos—these are the readers who will at once find Facts and Figures an invaluable source book.
We feel that the broad problems of public finance are brought into clearer relief through this work and the efficiency of governmental operations will be invigorated by its publication.
Stay informed on the tax policies impacting you.
Subscribe to get insights from our trusted experts delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe