Corporate taxes, gas taxes, optimal rates...

This might be the least compelling argument against carbon taxes, but it is one that gets repeated ad nauseam. From Will Wilkinson:

So in order to estimate the optimal pigouvian tax, we not only need a solid estimate of the net harm of warming, but we also need a good estimate of how much of that is the external effect of human activity. I don’t think there exists a good estimate, which I think gives us good reason to worry about proposed carbon taxes. Any tax, unless we are very lucky, will either be too low or too high. If it is too low, we’ll get too much carbon emission. But if it’s too high, we’ll get too little and I think that’s likely the more worrying scenario, especially if it slows growth for poor countries.

I have address that argument in detail here. But put more simply: Does anyone anywhere ask what the optimal corporate income tax rate is? Ask what the optimal income tax rate is? Payroll tax rate? Sales tax rate? Given that government spending shows no signs of slowing down (particularly in the U.S.) and given that countries are making the sensible decision to reduce corporate tax rates (since corporate taxes are about the most economically destructive taxes ever created) and given that you cannot run massive deficits forever - why on earth are we worried about raising about the only tax that might lead to more economic efficiency at higher-than-current-rates?

I have said it before and I'll say it again - there are good reasons to increase gas tax rates (and other sales tax rates) rather than raising income taxes - even if there were zero environmental benefits from doing so.