Georgetown Public Policy Review
Policy Shaping Our Future
Bicycling is exploding across the United States, and Washington, DC is no exception: the share of bicycle commuters in the District has grown by 315 percent since 1990 and overall ridership rose 80 percent between 2007 and 2010. This growth is tied to the metro area’s commitment to expanding trails and bike lanes and, in large part, to the rapid expansion of Capital Bikeshare.
Tax policy is often viewed as the primary method to encourage efficient financial behaviors among the population at large. Top economists may debate the extent to which taxation should be utilized to support positive economic objectives and reduce harmful ones, but it is generally agreed that tax policy should create some incentives for people to build wealth. In practice, however, current policy concentrates on helping middle and upper-income taxpayers, but real opportunities for low-income taxpayers are limited.