Featured Post from University of Rochester

Rochester's David Primo on how the wealth tax proposal will (or won't) work

Oct 27, 2021

1 min

David Primo

“The ‘wealth tax’ that’s being proposed in the current budget is really a tax on unrealized capital gains, so the stock that you have not sold yet but which has seen gains would be taxed before it is sold,” says David Primo, the Ani and Mark Gabrellian Professor and an associate professor of political science and business administration at the University of Rochester. “It applies only to the ‘richest of the rich’ and many questions remain as to how the operational and Constitutional concerns of it will be addressed. This proposal is much different from traditional wealth taxes where the idea has been to assess the wealth of tax payers every year and have the wealthiest individuals pay a tax on their net worth.”


Wisconsin Public Radio: The latest on Democrats' plan to tax billionaires to pay for spending bill


Primo is available for interviews and can discuss the precedent that this current wealth tax would establish with regard to taxing stock investments; if this is the best approach to taxing the wealthiest Americans; if it would even generate enough tax dollars to make a difference with the federal government’s current spending obligations; and more.



Connect with:
David Primo

David Primo

Ani and Mark Gabrellian Professor, Professor of Political Science and Business Administration

An expert in American politics; campaign finance; corporate political strategy, social responsibility & fiscal policy; & airline industry.

Airline IndustryAirline BusinessElection LawFederal Tax PolicyPolitical Gridlock

You might also like...

Check out some other posts from University of Rochester

1 min

Adam Frank Takes a Deep Dive into the Possibilities of Water on Uranus, Neptune

Adam Frank recently interviewed with national media about the potential for water to exist on the farthest planets in our solar system, Uranus and Neptune. Is it true that where there's water, the possibility for life often follows? Does this study mean that humans or other developed life forms could some day inhabit these neighboring planets? What about microbes? What do these vast oceans look like and how deep are they? “We’ve been asking the question about life in the universe for more than 2,000 years and we’re finally on the cusp of getting data that will tell us one way or the other."

2 min

Finding your college fit

With the college admissions application season in full swing, Robert Alexander, University Dean of Enrollment Management at Rochester, offers some perspective for all high school seniors as they begin to navigate the process and ultimately make a decision that is a match made, not a prize to be won. "When considering academic fit, don’t spend a ton time, energy and money trying to reverse engineer a way to game the system to find your way in. You don’t want to end up somewhere and find that you’re struggling just to keep your head above water, or that you’re swimming with sharks in a cutthroat and competitive environment. Once you identify a few characteristics that are important to your fit, then you can broaden your aperture to a range of schools that meet some of those parameters—the right size, campus type, focus, selectivity, and academic programs offered. "When it’s time to start filling out college applications, discern how you’ll tell YOUR story: in your essay or short answer responses; in how you determine which teachers you’ll ask to write recommendation letters; and in topics you raise in an interview. Remember, colleges aren’t looking for a single perfect archetype student, but rather a diverse array of students who are interesting in different ways. In fact, more important than someone who might be the “perfect applicant” is someone who acknowledges they’re not flawless, but wants to strive to become better. Find ways to convey what’s authentically you, emphasizing your strengths, but including some areas where you want to grow and change, and maybe some vulnerabilities, too. "As far as financial fit, don’t eliminate any college that seems like a great fit for you just because of the published sticker price. Colleges are required to have a net price calculator on their website. But the only way to know your exact cost is to apply for admission, academic merit scholarships, and federal and state grants."

1 min

Repairing Boeing's relationship with the FAA

The Boeing Corporation is the recognized pioneer in aviation and aircraft manufacturing, but significant quality control concerns have mounted in light of near disasters associated with Boeing's planes, including notably the Alaska Airlines door flying off in January. David Primo, professor of political science and business administration at the University of Rochester, is available to tackle some of the regulatory, crisis management and reputational questions related to Boeing's safety and production problems, including regaining the trust of the Federal Aviation Administration: “The challenge Boeing faces is how do they rebuild safety, rebuild the relationship with the FAA, but keep the business going? And that’s a very tough balancing act. The FAA is going to give Boeing much less in the way of the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the design of planes, which could very much constrain its production system. So it’s going to mean that planes might take a little longer to get off the production line and into the hands of airlines."

View all posts
Powered by