On behalf of Americans for a Fair Estate Tax, a coalition of nonprofit organizations opposing the repeal of the estate tax, OMB Watch economist John Irons will be traveling the country in early September – from Washington, D.C., to Washington State, Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine, and a number of places in between – to discuss recent reports assessing the impact of estate tax repeal on charitable giving. These local events will be organized by United for a Fair Economy, the Fair Taxes for All coalition, and their local affiliates.

The estate tax provides an incentive for charitable giving, and its repeal would mean an estimated $10 billion annual reduction in giving to charities – greater than the charitable giving of the largest 110 foundations in the United States. This is an unwelcome side effect of the proposed legislation to eliminate the estate tax, and is not widely recognized by the public or the nonprofit community. Dr. Irons will also present the results from a new study on the consequences for state-level giving.

Currently, the tour includes stops in Seattle, Washington (Sept. 4); Portland, Oregon (Sept. 5); New Orleans, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Portland, Maine; and Cleveland, Ohio. For more information on events in these areas, please email Dr. John Irons at jsirons@ombwatch.org.