by Kyla Asbury
DC Business Daily
The president of the Energy and Environmental Legal Institute says Americans will be forced to continue footing the bill for “zombie” tax extenders into the future.
Energy and Environment Legal Institute President Craig Richardson said the tax extenders will never die.
“Congress will strike some last-minute deal close to the holidays when no one is paying attention and we will have the same fight the next time the ‘zombie’ tax extenders are set to expire,” Richardson said in an interview with Washington D.C. Business Daily.
Richardson said there are several things keeping the tax extenders at play.
“Politics, lobbyists, campaign donations and a significant element of the economy that’s addicted to subsidies (are keeping them alive),” Richardson said. “As long as Washington is crawling with lobbyists, and the federal government continues propping up otherwise unsustainable industries like wind and electric vehicles and not letting the free-market decide their fate, the American taxpayer will, unfortunately, continue footing the bill.”
Richardson said there has been more pushback this year than previously.
“Industries like wind are having trouble making their case since the last time the Wind PTC was due to expire, the industry promised it would be the last ‘fix’ they’d need and agreed to a phase-out,” Richardson said. “Those pushing for E.V. tax credits are also having difficulty explaining the fairness of a tax credit for vehicles purchased mostly by the wealthiest Americans and subsidized by those least able to pay.”
