Len Burman is leaving his position as Director of the Tax Policy Center to accept a position as Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Affairs at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University.  From the press release:

“We are extremely fortunate to have recruited Dr. Len Burman as the inaugural Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Affairs at the Maxwell School,” says Dean Mitchel Wallerstein. “As a leading national authority on tax and budgetary policy, Len will add an extraordinary depth of expertise and Washington experience to an already strong public administration faculty. His professional interests address many of the same policy issues that were of concern to the late Senator Moynihan. Indeed, it is our hope and expectation that, through Dr. Burman’s research, teaching and public engagement activities, future generations of faculty and students at the Maxwell School—and elsewhere—will be reminded of the important role that Senator Moynihan played in elevating debate and public understanding of critical domestic policy problems.”

When Burman helped to found the Tax Policy Center in 2002, his goal was to elevate public discourse and provide facts and evidence for press, policymakers, and other interested parties that went beyond the usual political spin, misinformation, and mystery that largely drove the debate. It was the kind of effort that Senator Moynihan would have applauded. “Pat Moynihan educated the public on a breathtaking range of issues with his wonderfully cogent and eloquent books and his exceptional career of public service,” says Burman. “He was a great American – a Renaissance man who left an indelible mark on so many areas of public policy. I can think of no greater honor than to hold a chair in his name. And I will be joining an exceptional group of scholars at the Maxwell School who share Senator Moynihan’s passion for applying rigorous analysis to critical public policy challenges.”

Burman is not just a policy wonk. He sings in Polyhymnia, a small a cappella chorus in Washington, enjoys cooking, and is a serious cyclist. In 2005, he and his son, Paul, cycled across the United States to raise money for Partners In Health, an NGO that provides health care and much more to poor communities in Haiti and around the world.