American Compass’s “Tariff Tally” Doesn’t Add Up
The Tariff Tally presents a chain of events where each link breaks: tariffs won’t boost total investment, and more foreign capital inflows can’t coincide with a shrinking trade deficit.
25 min read
Blog Articles
6381 Results
Maine’s Proposed Millionaire’s Tax Would Harm the State’s Economy
Maine’s proposed millionaire’s tax would bring Maine’s top income tax rate to 9.15 percent, dealing a blow to the state’s economic competitiveness.
5 min read
The OBBBA Improved the Treatment of Investment—but There’s Still Work to Do
The OBBBA significantly boosted economic prospects by improving the treatment of investment. By making key expensing provisions permanent, the OBBBA created better conditions for long-term growth. However, there’s still work to be done, and the OBBBA provided a blueprint for policymakers to follow.
4 min read
How Smart Policy Can Unlock VAT’s Revenue Potential
Closing the EU’s value-added tax (VAT) actionable policy gap could yield €773 billion in government revenue—four times the EU’s 2026 budget.
8 min read
Georgia Needs to Aim for True Tax Improvement, not Just Change
It’s for good reason that Georgia wants to eliminate the income tax and rein in property taxes. However, the changes Georgia would need to make to accomplish these goals would work against its overall competitiveness.
8 min read
Tracking Three IRS Datapoints to Watch During the 2026 Tax Filing Season
The total amount refunded as of the sixth week of reporting is running ahead of the past filing season by nearly $23 billion at $202.6 billion compared to $179.5 billion, while the average refund is up 10.9 percent at $3,571.
3 min read
Liberation Day Was One Year Ago: Did the President’s Tariff Promises Happen?
One year after “Liberation Day,” evidence shows President Trump’s tariffs were not reciprocal, did not generate the promised investment boom, raised less revenue than projected, and contributed to higher prices.
7 min read
Avenues for Property Tax Reform in North Carolina
When evaluating property tax reform options in North Carolina, only changes that restore balance—without distorting investment or shifting costs unfairly—will ensure the state’s local tax system supports, rather than hinders, continued prosperity.
8 min read
Tax Policy Can Lower Housing Costs. Here’s How.
Some form of improved cost recovery for structures—whether full expensing, expensing with a per-unit cap, neutral cost recovery, or simply shortening the asset life of residential structures—is one of the most powerful pro-housing supply options available to federal policymakers.
5 min read
Would California’s Wealth Tax Be Temporary?
Proponents of a California wealth tax ballot initiative insist that the proposed wealth tax is temporary: a one-time 5 percent tax that can be paid upfront or over five years with deferral charges. Others are skeptical that the wealth tax would be allowed to expire.
6 min read
Kansas Property Tax Reform Should Prioritize Neutrality and Minimize Economic Distortions
While well-intentioned, Kansas’ assessment limit like the one in SCR 1616 would create wide gaps between a property’s assessed value and its market value, distorting the real estate market and disadvantaging those purchasing newer properties.
8 min read
Why Centralizing Louisiana’s Sales Tax Collection Is Smart
Enacting centralized sales tax collection and administration in Louisiana will help simplify the sales tax code and alleviate one of the issues that make it the least competitive sales tax regime in the country.
4 min read
Colorado Considers Legislation to Tax Phantom Income
Under HB26-1221, Colorado would make two changes that raise additional revenue by taxing income that doesn’t actually exist. The proposed changes to the state’s alternative minimum tax and net operating loss provisions are designed to overstate income, leading to double taxation and distorting taxpayer behavior.
5 min read
Delaware Proposes Higher Tobacco Taxes, Risking Regressivity and Revenue Volatility
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer (D) has proposed a new state budget that includes roughly $18.9 million in additional annual revenue from higher tobacco taxes.
4 min read
New Mexico Could Backslide If It Decouples from Pro-Growth Tax Policy
New Mexico’s SB 151 decouples from the OBBBA’s full expensing provision, making the state’s tax climate less competitive.
4 min read
Blog
Short FormWhy Is My Tax Refund Larger This Year?
If you’ve filed your taxes already, you may have noticed a larger refund this year. That’s due to changes Congress made with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) last year that retroactively cut taxes for 2025.
3 min read
A Competitive Tax Code Doesn’t Have to Sacrifice Revenue
Structural reforms such as broadening tax bases, improving cost recovery, and shifting toward less distortive taxes can improve competitiveness without necessarily reducing revenue.
7 min read
How Much Revenue Would Senator Sanders’ Wealth Tax Proposal Really Raise?
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a proposed 5 percent annual wealth tax on billionaires to fund direct payments to Americans and expand social welfare programs.
5 min read
Ohio Expensing Conformity Will Boost Innovation and Competitiveness
Ohio’s SB 9 will boost economic growth by conforming Ohio’s tax code to the domestic research and experimentation (R&E) immediate cost recovery provision in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
8 min read
Pharmaceutical Tariffs Would Add Costs and Reduce Innovation
Thought the Trump administration has not yet imposed new, industry-specific tariffs on drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients, such tariffs would be a hidden cost on Americans: they would shrink incomes, reduce investment, and lead to less innovation.
7 min read