Carl Davis
Research Director
Areas of Expertise
cannabis taxes 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 legalize and tax cannabis sales, 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.
Carl has also conducted extensive research into private school tax credits. That research helped reveal the profitable tax shelters that these credits created for some upper-income donors to private schools and contributed to the creation of a new IRS regulation cracking down on those shelters.
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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A Well-Designed Carbon Tax Could Curb Emissions, Offset Costs for Many Families
A well-designed carbon tax package—that is, levied at a sufficiently high rate and paired with equitable offsets for lower- and middle-income families—could improve both our environment and the fairness of our tax system.
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Why California’s Cannabis Market May Not Tell You Much about Legalization in Your State
New tax data out of California, the world’s largest market for legal cannabis, tell a complicated story about the cannabis industry and its tax revenue potential. Legal cannabis markets take time to establish, and depending on local market conditions, the revenue states raise can vary significantly.
Media Mentions view more
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POLITICO: Cannabis was supposed to be a tax windfall for states. The reality has been different.
In all, five of the nine states that have set up tax systems for legalized marijuana employ cultivation levies on…
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POLITICO: Cannabis Was Supposed to Be a Tax Windfall for States. The Reality Has Been Different.
In all, five of the nine states that have set up tax systems for legalized marijuana employ cultivation levies on…