Our deepest sympathy

to the family of

Peter Mieszkowski

who passed away on

December 25, 2024.

–

He will be missed

by his family and friends

in Houston and in Poland.

‘Peter Mieszkowski, a professor emeritus of economics at Rice University, was a distinguished scholar whose pioneering contributions shaped the field of public economics, Mieszkowski leaves behind a legacy of academic brilliance and a profound impact on economic thought.

Peter’s many contributions are renowned for the broad range of topics he investigated. His research included analyses of both national and state corporate income taxes, state sales taxes, models of regional taxation including taxes on land rents, the effects of unions on the distribution of income, the extent of racial discrimination in housing, pension plans, the determinants of health, the effects of land use regulation, peer group effects on education, and urban decentralization.

Peter’s career also included work on more applied topics. In an early paper with Nobel laureate James Tobin and tax policy icon Joseph Pechman, he examined the feasibility of implementing a negative income tax — a precursor to today’s popular Earned Income Tax Credit. He also examined the desirability and feasibility of implementing a consumption tax, the effects of intergovernmental grants, and the economic impacts of taxes on energy. Finally, he worked on some tax reform projects in transition economies, including an analysis of reform options in his native Poland as it emerged from the shadow of Soviet rule.

Professor Mieszkowski was an internationally recognized scholar of public economics who published many path-breaking contributions that helped shape the field.‘

READ FULL Rice University article news.rice.edu/news/2025/rice-remembers-peter-mieszkowski-path-breaking-professor-emeritus-economics