Nobody really likes paying taxes.

But Americans for Tax Reform explores ideas to make taxes simpler, lower and more transparent.

Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, said his organization asks politicians to sign a Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a promise to oppose any tax increases.

Norquist said a way to rein in government spending to make sure raising taxes in not an option.

“The only way to ever control spending is to take tax increases off the table,” he said. “It forces the conversation about spending restraints.”

Norquist said his organization believes the current tax code kills jobs and leaves families with less money.

“It needs to be dramatically reformed,” he said.

Norquist is in favor of moving to a single rate tax. This tax system, used by Massachusetts, puts takes a flat percentage for income tax. In Massachusetts, the rate is 5.3 percent.

“It works very well,” he said. “Everybody pays the same percentage.”

Norquist said the “fair tax,” which replaces all federal income and payroll based taxes with a 23 percent national retail sales tax, has some positive points. His organization is concerned that the tax would be added in addition to income taxes instead of replacing them.

“You have a danger we will end up with both,” he said.

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, R - Hollidaysburg, has signed the pledge not to support any tax increases.

“His priority is eliminating the tax code that we have now and change it to a tax system that is fair to all Americans,” said spokesman Jeff Urbanchuk. “That’s the major priority.”

Urbanchuk said Americans for Tax Reform is on the forefront for exploring new ideas.

“We appreciate their efforts,” he said.

Shuster is in support of changing the tax system to something that is fair across the board for all Americans.

“So they can invest, take part in the American dream and small business owners and hirer more employees and improve the economy,” Urbanchuk said. “That’s where our focus is.”

Some legislation, such as health care reform and cap and trade, have “stealth tax increases,” Urbanchuk said.

“Cap and trade places a tax on everything,” Urbanchuk said. “It increases producing just about everything you buy. You will be paying more for everything to finance cap and trade.”