Carl Davis
Research Director
Areas of Expertise
Dynamic scoring e-commerce taxes education tax credits emerging trends in state tax policy state and federal gas tax supply-side economicsCarl is the research director at ITEP, where he has worked since 2008. Carl works on a wide range of issues related to both state and federal tax policy. He has advised policymakers, researchers, and advocates on tax policy issues in nearly every state. Much of his work relates to the link between taxes and economic growth, and the shortcomings of dynamic scoring and supply-side economic theories.
Carl is a leading expert on the funding of transportation infrastructure. His analyses of state and federal gas tax policy have helped to illuminate why the nation’s infrastructure revenues are insufficient, and how gas taxes could be reformed to improve their long-run sustainability.
As ITEP’s research director, Carl is responsible for exploring new and emerging trends in tax policy. In this role, he has authored reports on proposals to implement vehicle-miles-traveled taxes, to update the tax treatment of the “gig economy,” and to improve the enforcement of sales taxes as they relate to online shopping. He also recently began investigating private school tax credits. His research helped reveal the profitable tax shelters that these credits have created for some upper-income donors to private schools.
Prior to assuming the role of research director, Carl worked as an analyst for ITEP and used its proprietary microsimulation tax model to perform tax incidence and revenue analyses for lawmakers and advocates across the country. Carl also previously worked as part of the State Economic Issues team at AARP. He holds bachelor’s degrees in both economics and political science from Virginia Tech and a Master’s in Public Policy from George Washington University.
Follow Carl on Twitter @carlpdavis
carl at itep.orgRecent Publications and Posts view more
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Presentation: NCSL Task Force on State and Local Taxation, Taxing Cannabis
ITEP Research Director Carl Davis presented to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Task Force on State and Local Taxation on approaches to cannabis taxation and the recent report Taxing Cannabis.
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Most States Have Raised Gas Taxes in Recent Years
Ohio now enjoys the distinction of being the 30th state to raise or reform its gas tax this decade, and the third state to do so this year, under a bill signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine. While state tax policy can be a contentious topic, there has been a remarkable level of agreement on the gasoline tax. Increasingly, state lawmakers are deciding that outdated gas taxes need to be raised and reformed to fund infrastructure projects that are vital to their economies. These actions are helping reverse losses in gas tax purchasing power caused by rising construction costs and improvements in vehicle fuel efficiency.
Media Mentions view more
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Crain's Detroit Business: If Whitmer's Gas Tax Increase Is Dead, Sales Tax on Services, Anyone?
Car rentals at Detroit Metro Airport are subject to the sales tax. But ordering a ride from an Uber driver…
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Washington Post: Democrats Said a GOP Tax Law Provision Would Devastate Blue States. That’s Not Happening.
“A lot of these claims were knee-jerk, political reactions,” said Carl Davis, a tax analyst for the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank. “Some perspective is needed on some of the wild claims about how it would damage blue states’ economies.”