Expert
Janelle Fritts
Senior Policy Analyst
Janelle Fritts is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Tax Foundation’s Center for State Tax Policy. She is the lead researcher on the annual State Tax Competitiveness Index and serves as a resource to policymakers in their efforts to modernize and improve the structures of their state tax codes. Her work has been cited in The New York Times, the Associated Press, Bloomberg, and numerous state media outlets across the country.
Janelle has been with the Tax Foundation since 2019, with a brief hiatus to teach high school literature, logic, and rhetoric. Before joining the state team, she interned at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the Reason Foundation, and the Illinois Policy Institute. She graduated from Dordt University (Sioux Center, Iowa) with a bachelor’s degree in English with a writing emphasis and a minor in Chemistry.
Born and raised in Midland, Michigan, Janelle now lives in Reston, Virginia. In her free time, she enjoys baking, thrifting, and spending time with her husband and infant daughter.
Latest Work
How Many Sales Tax Jurisdictions Does Your State Have?
Following the Wayfair decision, states’ move to tax online sales has increased the importance of simplicity in sales tax systems, as sellers now have to deal with differing regulations in multiple states. There are over 11,000 standard sales tax jurisdictions in the United States in 2020
2 min read
Arizona Proposition 208 Threatens Arizona’s Status as a Destination for Interstate Migration
Significantly raising the income tax through Proposition 208 will only serve to make Arizona less competitive, especially at a time when individuals and small businesses are already struggling. If Arizona is looking for a long-term way to increase education funding, it would do well to avoid overburdening struggling taxpayers and look toward more broad-based, stable sources of revenue.
5 min read
Throwback and Throwout Rules by State, 2020
State throwback and throwout rules may not be widely understood, but they have a notable impact on business location and investment decisions and reduce economic efficiency for the states which impose such rules.
3 min read
State and Local Tax Ballot Measures to Watch on Election Day 2020
Here are the state tax ballot measures to watch on Election Day 2020. Explore the most notable 2020 state tax ballot measures in 15 states.
4 min read
Does Your State Have a Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax?
Five states currently collect corporate AMTs: California, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, and New Hampshire. This is a significant drop from the eight states that levied AMTs in tax year 2017.
2 min read
Seventh Time’s the Charm: New Jersey Passes Millionaires Tax
After six unsuccessful tries at passage, it appears the coronavirus crisis has tipped the scales in favor of Gov. Phil Murphy’s (D) millionaires tax. New Jersey may be feeling the financial squeeze right now, but this large income tax change will not solve budget problems and may exacerbate funding issues by making the state even unfriendlier to businesses.
3 min read
Does Your State Have an Individual Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT)?
Under an individual AMT, many taxpayers are required to calculate their income tax liability under two different systems and pay the higher amount.
2 min read
Does Your State Have a Marriage Penalty?
A marriage penalty exists when a state’s income brackets for married taxpayers filing jointly are less than double the bracket widths that apply to single filers.
2 min read
Estate and Inheritance Taxes by State, 2020
In addition to the federal estate tax, with a top rate of 40 percent, some states levy an additional estate or inheritance tax.
3 min read
How High Are Property Taxes in Your State?
New Jersey has the highest effective rate on owner-occupied property at 2.21 percent, followed closely by Illinois (2.05 percent) and New Hampshire (2.03 percent).
2 min read
Property Taxes by County, 2020
The five counties with the highest median property tax payments are all located near New York City and have bills exceeding $10,000.
3 min read
Nevada Hoping to Extract Revenue with Mining Tax Increase Amendment
Nevada is not alone in its need to find revenue, but it should take care not to embrace bad tax policy in the process. Significant rate increases, a shift in the tax base, and provisions which make it easier to hike taxes than to cut them would heavily burden the mining industry in the state.
3 min read
Does Your State Tax Social Security Benefits?
The question, “Does my state tax Social Security benefits?” may be simple enough, but the answer includes a lot of nuance. Many states have unique and specific provisions regarding the taxation of Social Security benefits, which can be broken into a few broad categories.
3 min read
Gas Taxes by State, 2020
California pumps out the highest tax rate of 62.47 cents per gallon, followed by Pennsylvania (58.7 cpg), Illinois (52.01 cpg), and Washington (49.4 cpg).
2 min read
New York and New Jersey Consider Financial Transaction Taxes
Seeking new sources of funding, New York and New Jersey—two states at the heart of global financial markets—are considering financial transaction taxes.
5 min read
Sales Tax Holidays by State, 2020
In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, some states are hoping that a sales tax holiday might help restart struggling industries by stimulating the economy. However, sales tax holidays can mislead consumers about savings and distract from genuine, permanent tax relief.
41 min read
State and Local Sales Tax Rates, Midyear 2020
Sales tax rates differ by state, but sales tax bases also impact how much revenue is collected from a tax and how the tax affects the economy.
12 min read
Beer Taxes by State, 2020
4 min read