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Affordability, corruption, and inequality topped the list of what most enraged Americans in last week's election. Tax policy is key to fixing these issues and to addressing looming threats that would make inequality and affordability worse.
Colorado Voters Ditch Flat Tax, Opt to Tax the Rich and Corporations
November 10, 2026 • By Aidan Davis, Dylan Grundman O'Neill
Colorado voters approved Amendment 87, also known as Initiative 195, which will give the vast majority of Coloradans an income tax cut. Only households in the richest 5 percent will pay more. The state will raise approximately $2 billion a year in new revenue to fund K-12 education, healthcare, and childcare.
Utah Latest State to Make Headway Against Montana Car-Registration Tax Dodge
November 10, 2026 • By Eli Byerly-Duke
Car owners from around the country have for years tried to avoid paying their fees and taxes by titling their cars in Montana under a shell company to avoid sales taxes and fees in their state of residence.
Circuit Breaker Credits: The Best Tools for Property Tax Affordability
November 9, 2026 • By Brakeyshia Samms, Nick Johnson
Robust and well-publicized circuit breakers have immense potential to improve property tax affordability and reduce the overall regressive tilt of property tax systems.
Let Them Eat Cheesecake: Federal Tax Breaks for Restaurant Chains Encourage Low Pay and Low Corporate Tax Rates
November 9, 2026 • By Matthew Gardner
Six restaurant companies – Cheesecake Factory, Brinker (the parent company of Chili’s), Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden), Bloomin’ Brands (Outback Steakhouse), Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and Texas Roadhouse – collectively disclosed $2.5 billion of U.S. profits last year on which they paid tax rates averaging 5.4 percent, far below the statutory 21 percent.
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) supports millions of workers and families and continues to grow in states and localities across the country. Today, 31 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico offer EITCs. Local EITCs can also now be found in Montgomery County, Maryland, New York City, and San Francisco, where they benefited 700,000 households in 2023.
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 make tax systems less regressive. As of 2020, only six states had CTCs. Today, 15 states have CTCs, with many credits exceeding $1,000 per qualifying child.
While voters delivered an historic rebuke of the economic and tax policies of the Trump administration as affordability concerns became a flashpoint, voters also decided on major tax ballot questions that will raise and protect revenue and do more to tax the rich in Washington, California, and Colorado.
Voters Pass Ballot Measures to Raise and Protect Revenue, Tax the Rich
November 5, 2026 • By Aidan Davis, Jon Whiten
Voters in states across the country on Tuesday passed critical ballot measures to raise and protect revenue and increase tax fairness. In three of four cases, voters showed their support for taxing the rich.
Who bears the cost of these giant companies paying such a pittance? The American people.
114 Profitable Corporations Paid Zero Federal Income Tax in 2025
October 30, 2026 • By ITEP Staff
There were 114 corporations that paid no federal income tax in 2025. That includes well-known companies like Tesla, Walt Disney, CVS, Citigroup, United Airlines, Palantir, and DoorDash.
Bigger Corporations, Bigger Tax Breaks: Consolidation Leads Six Corporations to Grab a Giant Share of Subsidies
October 28, 2026 • By Matthew Gardner
Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta and J.P. Morgan Chase collectively raked in 42 percent of the total tax subsidies that 706 profitable U.S. corporations received in 2025.
ITEP Comment on Citizenship Question Update to IRS Form 1040
October 27, 2026 • By Jessica Vela, Steve Wamhoff
Here is a public comment submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on October 26, 2026 on a proposal to add a citizenship question to the main federal personal income tax form, Form 1040.
The Consequences of 18 Months of Trump-Republican Tax Policy and Rising Prices
October 26, 2026 • By Michael Ettlinger
The first 18 months of President Trump’s second term have brought major changes in U.S. tax policy and taken several actions that have boosted inflation. These changes have had significant impacts on the lives of the American people. As a result, middle-income Americans are losing an average of $1,670 in 2026 overall.
After Two Rounds of Trump Tax Cuts, Corporate America Paid Less Than Ever in 2025
October 22, 2026 • By Matthew Gardner, Steve Wamhoff, Joe Hughes, Spandan Marasini
In 2025, 706 major American corporations collectively paid a federal income tax rate of just 10.4% on $1.88 trillion in U.S. profits. This is the lowest effective rate that ITEP has uncovered in over 40 years of analyzing corporate income taxes.
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