Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Kamolika Das

Local Policy Director

Kamolika Das

As ITEP’s Local Policy Director, Kamolika provides local tax analysis and recommendations to lawmakers, advocates, researchers, and the public. Kamolika initially joined ITEP as a State Policy Analyst; in this role, she monitored trends in state tax policy, primarily in the South and mid-Atlantic regions. Before joining ITEP, Kamolika promoted tax justice, affordable housing, and workforce development policies at the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. Prior, Kamolika worked as a State & Local Policy Manager for Prosperity Now where she advocated for policies that promote financial stability, wealth and prosperity for low- and middle-income communities.

Kamolika received her Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the Ford School at the University of Michigan and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York.

 kamolika at itep.org

Recent Publications

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D.C.'s Fiscal Autonomy is at Stake, District's Conformity Decisions Should Stand

February 6, 2026 • By Kamolika Das

Federal lawmakers passed a bill along party lines that would force the District of Columbia to override the decision of local elected officials and implement all of the costly and inequitable federal tax cuts passed under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA).

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Local Governments Are Increasingly Strapped: 2026 Will Bring New Challenges and New Opportunities

January 21, 2026 • By Kamolika Das

2025 saw an intensification of state and local tax fights across the country, as well as growing experimentation with local-option taxes, levies, fees, and tourism taxes aimed at keeping budgets afloat while also navigating political constraints imposed by state legislatures.

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Recent Media Mentions

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Newsweek: Major Tax Disruption Faces Over 300,000 Taxpayers—’Sabotage’

February 4, 2026 • By Aidan Davis, Kamolika Das

Workers in Washington, D.C., many of whom have federal roles, could be set to experience major disruption over their tax returns this year, as Congress seems likely to pass a joint resolution that would override the district’s tax law—n the middle of the tax season. Read more.

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Newsweek: US Property Tax Changes Coming in 2026

January 5, 2026 • By Kamolika Das

Property tax reform has been a hot topic across the country this year, especially in Republican-led states, as lawmakers and politicians try to offer relief to homeowners struggling with higher bills; and experts believe it will remain at the forefront in 2026—with many states continuing to push for the complete…

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