Defeated Dem to work on tax reform

Former Rep. Dan Maffei, a New York Democrat who narrowly lost his seat last year, will lead a corporate tax reform project for Third Way, a spokesman for the group said Thursday.

Maffei, a former Democratic staffer on the House Ways and Means Committee, will be a distinguished senior fellow at the center-left think tank. The bipartisan venture he will lead, a Third Way release said, will search for a simpler tax code that would “make America more competitive, promote job creation, and foster enduring economic growth.”

{mosads}In a statement, the former congressman said: “Third Way’s fresh approach and emphasis on creative, pragmatic solutions make it the perfect place to address the critical challenge of reforming the corporate tax code.”

Maffei was first elected to Congress fairly comfortably in 2008, but lost his bid for a second term by a razor-thin margin, in a race that wasn’t finalized until several weeks after Election Day.

Jon Cowan, Third Way’s president, said the group was eager to move forward with its tax reform project. 

“Whether in the halls of Congress or in the business community, former Congressman Maffei has built a distinguished record of service and expertise,” Cowan said in a statement. “His knowledge, experience, and passion for a more prosperous America make him perfectly suited to head up Third Way’s tax reform efforts.”

Tax reform has emerged as an issue where leaders from both parties believe they can find some common ground. But lawmakers also acknowledge that tax reform could be a tough slog – just as it was 25 years ago, when the tax code received its last major makeover. 

(It’s also worth noting that, according to their release, Third Way’s new venture will focus on corporate tax reform. Some lawmakers, from both parties, have advocated overhauling both the business and individual tax codes.)