On election day, voters across the country — in states red and blue and communities rural and urban — approved a wide range of state and local ballot measures on taxation and public investment. The success of these measures clearly shows that voters are willing to invest in public priorities that feel tangible and close to home.
Kamolika Das
Kamolika Das, along with other members of the state policy team, monitors trends in state tax policy and supports state researchers and advocates.
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blog November 19, 2024 On Election Day, Voters Across the Country Chose to Invest in Their States & Communities
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blog August 14, 2024 Local Tax Trends in 2024
Many cities, counties, and townships across the country are in a difficult, or at least unstable, budgetary position. Localities are responding to these financial pressures in a variety of ways with some charging ahead with enacting innovative reforms like short-term rental and vacancy taxes, and others setting up local tax commissions to study the problem.
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blog March 14, 2024 Ahead of the ‘Bring Chicago Home’ Vote, Remember That Local Mansion Taxes are Tried and Tested
As Chicago and other localities look for ways to shore up resources for critical public investments, it’s important to remember that over a dozen cities and counties have already benefited from policies like mansion taxes.
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ITEP Work in Action March 4, 2024 ITEP’s Kamolika Das Testifies on Pennsylvania’s Upside-Down Tax Code
Below is written testimony delivered by ITEP Local Policy Director Kamolika Das before the Pennsylvania House Finance Subcommittee on Tax Modernization & Reform on March 1, 2024. Good afternoon and… -
blog January 17, 2024 Worthwhile Ideas for a Stronger and Fairer D.C. Tax Code
The nation’s capital has a once-in-a-decade opportunity to advance a stronger and fairer local tax code. New draft recommendations from a key advisory panel will help leaders make the most of the moment.
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blog October 30, 2023 Three Localities are Boosting Communities with Refundable EITCs; Others Should Follow Suit
Most states already offer their own Earned Income Tax Credits, typically matching a certain percentage of residents’ federal EITC, but this is still a rarity among localities.
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report October 30, 2023 Local Earned Income Tax Credits: How Localities Are Boosting Economic Security and Advancing Equity with EITCs
Leading localities are using refundable EITCs to boost incomes and reduce taxes for workers and families with low and moderate incomes. These local credits build on the success of EITCs at the federal and state levels, reduce economic hardship and improve the fairness of the tax code.
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blog May 10, 2023 Voters Could Approve Local Capital Gains Tax in Oregon
At nearly every turn, Oregon’s tax policies widen inequality; as a result, the top 1 percent pay less state and local taxes as a share of income than the poorest residents. Taxing capital gains at the local level is an important and exciting move in the other direction – to tax income from wealth and use it to address crucial needs.
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brief March 30, 2023 How Local Governments Raise Revenue—and What it Means for Tax Equity
Most local tax systems are falling short of their potential. Well-structured local tax policies support communities by facilitating important investments and advancing fairness, but the tax revenue sources most utilized by local governments tend to disproportionately weigh on households with fewer resources. Learning from these realities can inform the path to improved tax policies and stronger communities.
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blog March 30, 2023 Better Local Tax Policy Can Help Communities Thrive
From dedicating new taxes to fund climate action and public health to vacancy and “mansion” taxes, many local leaders are already exploring ways to make their tax systems more progressive and sustainable. ITEP is committed to helping local leaders and advocates build on this work by advancing knowledge about local tax solutions.
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blog July 22, 2022 Most States Used Surpluses to Reduce Taxes But Not in Sustainable or Progressive Ways
The average person on the street would have no idea that many states experienced unprecedented budget surpluses this year. Iowa, for instance, has the most structurally deficient bridges of any… -
blog June 22, 2022 New ITEP Report Examines the Path to Equitable Tax Policy in the South
“From the inception of the emerging American nation, the South is a central battleground in the struggles for freedom, justice, and equality. It is the location of the most intense… -
report June 21, 2022 Creating Racially and Economically Equitable Tax Policy in the South
The South’s negative outcomes on measures of wellbeing are the result of a century and a half of policy choices. Lawmakers have many options available to make concrete improvements to tax policy that would raise more revenue, do so equitably, and generate resources that could improve schools, healthcare, social services, infrastructure, and other public resources.
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blog April 19, 2022 Some Lawmakers Continue to Mythologize Income Tax Elimination Despite Widespread Opposition
One of the most surprising trends this legislative session is that conservative leaders and the business community joined with progressive advocates to oppose income tax repeal plans. There is a general consensus that income tax repeal is a step too far.
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blog January 19, 2022 Mississippi Is the Latest in a String of States Pursuing Short-Sighted, Top-Heavy Tax Cuts
Not only is Mississippi’s latest tax proposal deeply inequitable, the state simply cannot afford it.
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blog January 5, 2022 The Pendulum Is Swinging Toward Tax Justice
Tax justice is deeply connected to the movements for equality and racial justice. Progressive tax policy can ensure more of us share in the prosperous economy that our collective tax dollars make possible. It can mitigate economic disparities by class and race. And it can make sure the government has the resources it needs to function for all of us.
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blog August 25, 2021 Eliminating the State Income Tax Would Wreak Havoc on Mississippi
History has repeatedly shown that such policies harm state economies, dismantle basic public services, and exacerbate tax inequities.
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blog July 1, 2020 New Fiscal Year Brings New Challenges and Opportunities in the States
July 1—the start of the new fiscal year in most states—typically marks a point when one can take a step back and reflect on the wins and disappointments of the past state legislative sessions. 2020 is markedly different. Nationwide business closures and stay-at-home orders in response to COVID-19 have led to unprecedented spikes in unemployment, decreased demand for consumer spending, and increased demand for vital public services. As a result, states face incredibly uncertain financial futures with little clarity regarding how their tax collections will fare over the next year.
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February 12, 2020 ITEP Testimony In Support of H.B. 222 Income Tax Rates – Capital Gains Income & H.B. 256 Maryland Estate Tax – Unified Credit
Read as PDF Testimony of Kamolika Das, State Policy Analyst, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy Submitted to: Ways and Means Committee, Maryland General Assembly Thank you for this opportunity…