In referendum elections Sunday, Swiss voters approved an 0.4 percent temporary increase in the country's value added tax, with the money targeted to shoring up the finances of the country's disability insurance system. The referendum prevailed with 54 percent of the vote. Opponents had claimed that the system's problems stemmed from fraud by people in other countries who pretend to live in Switzerland. More here.

A few days ago, the GAO released a report - Value-Added Taxes: Lessons Learned from Other Countries on Compliance Risks, Administrative Costs, Compliance Burden, and Transition.

Why? Doesn't the GAO know that the US doesn't like the VAT?

In the report, the GAO notes that tax reform includes discussion of a VAT and that it was asked to do this report by Congressmen Jim McCrery and Jim Ramstad of the House Ways & Means Committee. The countries reviewed by the GAO in this report are Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and the UK.