The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
What's New
State Rundown 12/17: Tax Policy ‘Naughty or Nice’ List Has Late Entrants
December 17, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
With a little over a week left, some states are solidifying their spots on the tax policy “naughty or nice” list.
10 Reasons Why the U.S. Should Reform Its Corporate Income Tax
December 17, 2025 • By Steve Wamhoff
The U.S. needs a tax code that is more progressive and that raises more revenue than the one we have now. An important way to achieve this is to reform the taxation of business profits. These four key policy reforms would greatly strengthen the corporate tax system: Eliminating or restricting…
President Trump Says His Tariffs Aren’t Paid by Americans. Corporations Are Indicating the Opposite.
December 15, 2025 • By Logan Liguore
Corporations have publicly revealed that they are passing the cost of tariffs on to Americans—the opposite of what the executive branch has said is happening.
No, Scott Bessent: States Aren’t Taking Away Anyone’s Tax Cuts
December 11, 2025 • By Nick Johnson
It’s wildly inappropriate for a U.S. Treasury Secretary to lean on states to adopt or not adopt specific federal provisions in their own state tax codes.
Tax Haven Data Demonstrate Need for Global Minimum Tax Despite Opposition from Trump Administration
December 10, 2025 • By Steve Wamhoff
American corporations use accounting gimmicks to make profits appear to be earned in tax havens. This widespread problem could be fixed by Congress enacting legislation to implement a minimum tax on corporations that meets the standards of the global minimum tax that other countries have begun to implement.
ITEP in the News
The New York Times: Businesses Are Cashing In on Trump’s Tax Cuts
The Texas Tribune: Gov. Greg Abbott Wants a Tighter Lid on Home Values. Tax Policy Experts Warn That’s a Bad Idea
ProPublica: Wave of Tax Cuts Has Left Many States Vulnerable to Trump SNAP and Medicaid Crisis
Associated Press: Governor Suggests Hawaii May Scale Back on Income Tax Cuts, Tap Reserves To Help Balance Budget
CNN: Why Trump Is Speaking Like a Democrat About Obamacare
ITEP Work in Action
Kentucky Center for Economic Policy: A State Budget for an Affordable Kentucky: Preview of the 2026–2028 Budget of the Commonwealth
The Milbank Quarterly: The 2021 Child Tax Credit and Children's Health and Well-Being: Evidence From a National Longitudinal Study
Nevada Law Journal: Nothing to Gain: The Disparate Impact of the Capital Gains Tax Preference on Women and Persons of Color
Senators and House Members Warn Treasury Against Delivering Retroactive Tax Break to Billionaire Corporations
Kentucky Center for Economic Policy: Building a Kentucky Workers Can Afford
Across the States
On the Map
State Rundown 12/10: 'Tis the Season to Reclaim Lost Revenue
property tax debates are taking place throughout the nation.
Taxes on Adult-Use Cannabis in Each State
Twenty-three states have legalized the sale of cannabis for general adult use. Every state allowing legal sales applies an excise tax to cannabis based on…
When Did Your State Enact a Child Tax Credit?
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is an important tool to fight child poverty and help families make ends meet. When designed well, it can also…
State & Local Tax Policy
State Rundown 12/17: Tax Policy ‘Naughty or Nice’ List Has Late Entrants
December 17, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
No, Scott Bessent: States Aren’t Taking Away Anyone’s Tax Cuts
December 11, 2025 • By Nick Johnson
Linking to Tipped and Overtime Income Deductions Would Worsen State Shortfalls, Do Little to Help Workers
December 8, 2025 • By Galen Hendricks, Neva Butkus
Not-So-Free Kick: How the 2026 FIFA World Cup Will Cost Cities Millions
December 5, 2025 • By Page Gray
Conforming to the ‘No Tax on Tips’ Gimmick Just Got Riskier and Costlier for States
November 25, 2025 • By Nick Johnson
Re-Examining 529 Plans: Stopping State Subsidies to Private Schools After New Trump Tax Law
November 20, 2025 • By Miles Trinidad, Nick Johnson
States Are Opening a Pandora's Box of Data Centers
November 19, 2025 • By Page Gray
Local Vacancy Taxes: A Tool but Not a Panacea
November 17, 2025 • By Rita Jefferson
The ITEP Guide to State & Local Taxes
The ITEP Guide to State & Local Taxes offers citizens, advocates, journalists, and policymakers a detailed primer on state and local tax policy. Learn more about the three main sources of revenue (income, property, and sales) and the major principles that shape tax codes and discussions.
Tax Principles
Income & Profits
Property & Wealth
Sales & Use
Other Revenues
Expert's View
Carl Davis
Research Director
The Geographic Distribution of Extreme Wealth in the U.S.
Excessive concentration of wealth runs counter to our national aspiration for genuine equality of opportunity, and it saps the vitality of our democracy through the consolidation of power and influence. Tax policy offers a powerful means of beginning to address our nation’s stark level of inequality, but current law is clearly falling short of its potential.
– Carl Davis
Research Director
Steve Wamhoff
Federal Policy Director
Washington Post: Trump’s tax law includes a $40,000 SALT cap. Here’s who qualifies.
SALT cap or no SALT cap, the mega bill overall is a bonanza for the rich in every state.
– Steve Wamhoff
Federal Policy Director
Kamolika Das
Local Policy Director
USA Today: Would Mamdani’s ‘Millionaire Tax’ Chase the Rich Out of New York City?
Tax policies just really don’t drive relocation decisions, they’ve been claiming this for a long time, and there’s just very scant evidence to support it.
– Kamolika Das
Local Policy Director
Miles Trinidad
State Analyst
CT Mirror: Sales tax holidays under fire as CT launches its promotion
A two- to three-day sales-tax-free shopping spree for selected items does nothing to reduce taxes for low- and moderate-income taxpayers during the other 362 days of the year.
– Miles Trinidad
State Analyst
Institute on Taxation
and Economic Policy
ITEP is a non-profit, non-partisan tax policy organization. We conduct rigorous analyses of tax and economic proposals and provide data-driven recommendations to shape equitable and sustainable tax systems.
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