California
State Rundown 11/5: Election Day Put Taxes on the Ballot
• By ITEP Staff
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
• 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.
State Rundown 10/22: Despite Obstacles, Progressive Taxes Define 2026
• By ITEP Staff
As more states move to raise revenue and tax the rich, anti-tax lobbyists and lawmakers are hard at work to undo that progress. Despite pushback, important conversations around needed revenue continue.
HuffPost: Billionaires Have Tricks To Avoid Paying Their Fair Share Of Taxes. This Ballot Measure Would Change The Game.
October 21, 2026
It would be the first of its kind in the country — and set a new benchmark for other states.
State Rundown 10/8: Ballot Debates and Gas Tax Promises Accelerate as Election Day Nears
• By ITEP Staff
As the Iran War continues to cause gas prices to rise across the country, lawmakers are stepping on the accelerator instead of pumping the brakes on costly and ineffective proposals to suspend the gas tax ahead of the November election.
New State Taxes on the Wealthy Raise Revenue and Rebalance Tax Codes, Advancing Racial Justice
• By Brakeyshia Samms
Taxing the rich is proven fiscal policy – it raises revenue for vital public services and makes tax codes fairer. But a part of the debate that rarely gets enough attention: taxing the rich is also one of the most effective tools available for advancing racial equity.
California’s Prop 40: Responses to Common Objections
• By Brian Galle, David Gamage, Darien Shankse
Proposition 40, California’s proposed billionaire tax, is a one-time 5 percent levy that addresses a significant one-time emergency, namely the cuts made to the healthcare system by the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
State Earned Income Tax Credits Will Support Families and Workers in 2027
• By Neva Butkus
Nearly two-thirds of states (plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) have an Earned Income Tax Credit. These credits boost low-paid workers’ incomes and offset some of the taxes they pay, helping working class families achieve greater economic security.
State Child Tax Credits Will Boost Financial Security for Families and Children in 2027
• By Neva Butkus
Sixteen states provide Child Tax Credits to reduce poverty, boost economic security, and invest in children. State lawmakers have several options to maximize the impact of Child Tax Credits.
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