February 2021 Newsletter

This is a monthly newsletter of PSL model releases, events, and updates.
Subscribe at https://www.pslmodels.org and follow us on Twitter @PSLModels.

Demo Days

Recent presentations

• Matt Jensen demonstrated how to use Compute Studio's web API to analyze the effects of reforms using Tax-Brain and Tax-Cruncher.
• Jason DeBacker demonstrated how users can contribute to PSL projects and manage their workflow with source control (git and GitHub) while contributing.

microdf

A package for analyzing economic microdata as pandas DataFrames.

Releases and new features

• Release 0.3.0  —  Introduces the pandas-like MicroDataFrame and MicroSeries objects.

OG-USA

An overlapping-generations model for evaluating fiscal policy in the United States

Releases and new features

• Updated for consistency with the February 2021 CBO baseline forecasts (#713).

ParamTools

A library for parameter processing and validation with a focus on computational modeling projects

Releases and new features

• Release 0.17.0  —  Allows users to wrap multiple intermediate updates in a single transactions (#123).
• Release 0.18.0  —  Now able to read JSON files with comments (#124).

PCI-China

A machine learning algorithm that predicts China's policy changes by mining its state-controlled media

Releases and new features

• Updates the PCI-China indicator to 2020 Q4, maintaining previous predictions of China’s post-COVID policy priorities (#7).

General updates

• Used in a National Interest article by Weifeng Zhong that discusses the Biden administration's China policy.

Tax-Brain

An integrator package for multiple open source tax models

General updates

• The model's documentation got a makeover using Jupyter Book.

Tax-Calculator

A USA federal individual income and payroll tax microsimulation model

General updates

• Used in a Niskanen Center study that analyzes Senator Mitt Romney's child allowance reform proposal.

• Behavioral-Responses is a partial-equilibrium behavioral module that works with Tax-Calculator.
• Cost-of-Capital-Calculator evaluates the effect of US federal taxes on businesses' investment incentives.
• microdf is a package for analyzing economic microdata as pandas DataFrames.
• OG-USA is an overlapping-generations model for evaluating fiscal policy in the United States.
• OpenFisca-UK is a model of the United Kingdom's tax system based on the OpenFisca platform.
• ParamTools is a library for parameter processing and validation with a focus on computational modeling projects.
• PCI-China is a machine learning algorithm that predicts China's policy changes by mining its state-controlled media.
• Tax-Brain is an integrator package for multiple open source tax models.
• Tax-Calculator is a USA federal individual income and payroll tax microsimulation model.
• Tax-Cruncher calculates federal tax liabilities from individual data under a range of policy scenarios.