The Public Acceptability of Taxation: Implications for Canadian Cities

Aversion to taxes presents a major policy dilemma for elected governments: voters want governments to deliver goods and services but are deeply suspicious of their efforts to raise taxes. When are citizens willing to support major changes to tax policy? IMFG’s 2017-2018 Postdoctoral Fellow Matthew Lesch will discuss a new study on whether and how Canadians are likely to accept tax reforms to address three distinct policy problems – climate change, infrastructure, and deficit reduction. The findings hold important policy implications for scholars and practitioners interested in the politics of public finance.