May 14, 2009
May 2009, Mark Weisbrot and David Rosnick
This issue brief looks at the likely costs to the U.S. Treasury from a $108 billion increase in the U.S. contribution to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The White House’s Office of Management and Budget originally proposed the $108 billion be scored at zero in the budget, and there are indications that it may be scored at as little as $5 billion.
This analysis estimates the cost to the U.S. Treasury would be in the range of $16.6 to $26.3 billion, based on the difference between the U.S. Treasury’s borrowing costs and interest received from the IMF. These estimates are conservative and understate the true cost.
