The medical expense deduction and income levels: Progressive or regressive?

The medical expense deduction (MED) allows taxpayers to deduct from taxable income a proportion of their out-of-pocket medical insurance and health care expenses. Because the rate of subsidy is equal to the marginal tax rate previous studies have found MED to be a regressive tax mechanism biased toward benefiting higher-income taxpayers. The authors demonstrate, using GINI coefficients, that MED makes the tax structure more progressive than it would otherwise be and increases equality of after-tax incomes.     

Sales expectations and inventory changes in retail trade

In this paper a single equation inventory investment model is estimated for the United States retail sector. Monthly data for the 1970s are utilized. In estimating the model it is alternatively assumed that expectations were formed according to a seasonal model, to perfect foresight, and to a narrowly rational expectations model. We find that a model in which expected sales and the expected rate of inflation are narrowly rational can explain most of the variation in retail inventory investment during the time period studied. The results of the estimation imply that retailers have a relatively short forecast horizon, that they can react quickly to either unexpected sales or to a deviation of actual from desired inventory stocks, and that an increase in the real of interest has a statistically negative impact on retail inventory investment.     

Heavy,medium, light shoppers and nonshoppers of a used merchandise outlet

An unsettling economic future coupled with changes in social values indicate that preowned merchandise buying will become increasingly evident. Consumers face the prospects of inflation, unemployment, and shortages, while social values are shifting away from disregard of resource usage by the disposable society. Buying preowned merchandise is a solution to coping with the environmental changes. Although institutions selling used merchandise, like other retailers, require factual information to design effective marketing strategies, this remains a neglected retailing phenomenon.The purpose of this study was to gain insights concerning several aspects of preowned merchandise buying using Goodwill Industries as a case in point. Data were collected to provide demographic profiles of heavy, medium, and light shoppers and nonshoppers, the information sources effective in inculcating awareness, basic patronage motives of heavy, medium, and light shoppers, and various buying behavior patterns of the four groups. The latter included shopping at Goodwill versus other institutions selling used merchandise, future shopping plans at Goodwill, overall attitude toward used merchandise, and the types of preowned merchandise they would be willing to purchase.Telephone interviews were made with a randomly selected sample of household representatives living in a midwestern standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) with a population of 85,000. The 336 respondents (97.5% of the sample) who were aware of Goodwill formed the initial data base from which 320 usable questionnaires were obtained. A composite shopping volume index was used to differentiate light, medium, and heavy shoppers as well as nonshoppers.Results from the study show that some differences exist between the groups in terms of demographics, information sources, and patronage motives as well as part and anticipated shopping behavior. Several implications are suggested for Goodwill in particular and similar organizations in general.     

Of lessees,lessors, and discount rates and whether pigs have wings

Recent articles on leasing suggest five principles that should aid analysts to understand this durable, much misunderstood financial instrument. The principles are 1) the lessor must be happy too, 2) the operating inflows have nothing to do with the case, 3) financial, like physical, matter tends to be preserved, 4) debt is a function of after-tax flows, and 5) inability to use tax shelters cuts two ways. In this paper we illustrate these principles and use illustrations to demonstrate that each of these principles has merit. We argue as well that the impression, often left by the principles, that leasing seldom benefits all parties to the transaction is incorrect.     

山西龙子祠泉水资源分析

本文利用龙子祠泉流量和降水量的多年观测资料,经分析计算,得出泉水开采资源量和保证率以及流量与降水相关的预报方程。结合当前利用现状,提出合理利用和保护泉水资源的建议。     

裂变营销属性：电商平台的创新、违法与传销犯罪

在“流量经济”与“用户思维”加持下,传销形态已发生异变。对于裂变营销属性的认定,应当通过非法传销的实质解读,提炼出传销的元模型,将具有非法传销外观的营销创新予以剥离,形成“拉人头+团队计酬”以及“收取入门费+团队计酬”的二元类型。同时,借助缓和的违法一元论,透视裂变营销中传销违法向传销犯罪的转化逻辑,明确二者之间“质”与“量”的区别。当本罪与诈骗犯罪或集资犯罪发生竞合时,应当充分发挥想象竞合的“明示机能”实现全面评价,并择重处罚。     

关于宜居城市的几个基本问题

建设什么样的城市，怎样建设城市是当前我国城市化进程中亟待解决的问题。宜居城市是由自然物质环境和社会人文环境相互交织、融合形成的一个复杂巨系统。倡导以人为本的科学发展观，建设宜居城市应当成为中国城市建设的方向之一。基于宜居城市发展演变的一般规律，宜居城市的判别标准理应包括经济发展度、社会和谐度、文化丰厚度、居住舒适度、景观怡人度、公共安全度等多项指标。     

中水源热泵地板供暖运行策略分析

为研究中水源热泵地板供暖系统的节能策略,以石家庄市某实际运行小区的中水源热泵地板辐射供暖系统为对象,引入室外综合温度的概念,综合考虑室外气温、太阳辐射热与风速等环境因子的影响,推导得出了地板辐射供暖系统质调节情况下,保证热用户舒适度的二次网供、回水温度调节公式。经实际运行测试,由该调节公式计算得出的二次网供、回水温度作为地板辐射供暖系统分时段质调节的依据,可以在满足热用户舒适度要求的情况下,取得良好的节能效果。中水源热泵系统与地板辐射供暖系统的结合及推广为城市集中供热提供了新思路。     

土地生态经济系统运行机制及其调控研究

土地生态经济系统是人工控制的经济系统与土地自然生态系统耦合的复合系统,其运行和发展对人类社会发展和全球生态环境变化的作用越来越重要,其规律是发展循环经济的重要理论依据。本文从生态经济学角度对土地生态经济系统的内涵进行了阐述,剖析了其运行的机制,并提出了调控土地生态经济系统良性运行的目标和措施。