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Jared Walczak Tax Foundation
Expert

Jared Walczak

Vice President of State Projects

Jared Walczak is Vice President of State Projects at the Tax Foundation. He is the lead researcher on the annual State Business Tax Climate Index and Location Matters, and has authored or coauthored tax reform guides on Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada, New  York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Jared’s work is regularly cited in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Politico, AP, and many other prominent national and state outlets.

He previously served as legislative director to a member of the Senate of Virginia and as policy director for a statewide campaign, and consulted on research and policy development for a number of candidates and elected officials. In his free time, Jared enjoys hiking and has a goal of visiting all 63 national parks.

Latest Work

West Virginia tax relief plan includes Governor Justice tax cut and West Virginia tax reform proposals

West Virginia Lawmakers Reach Deal on Tax Relief

In a day and age when businesses and individuals alike are increasingly mobile, West Virginians can be relieved that their state is getting off the sideline and into the action.

4 min read
2023 local income taxes by state and municipality 2023 local income tax rates and local taxes or local income tax data by county

Local Income Taxes: A Primer

Most states avoid municipal income taxes for good reason. These taxes are more volatile and less economically competitive than other forms of taxation available to local governments, and add substantial complexity for governments and taxpayers alike.

23 min read
Will the Federal Government Tax Your State Tax Rebates Inflation Relief Checks

Will the Federal Government Tax Your State Tax Rebate?

If your state issued tax rebates last year, you might have to pay federal income tax on the rebate you received. Maybe. Who knows? Unfortunately, not the IRS—at least not yet.

5 min read
latest state tax trends and state tax cuts include responsible state income tax relief in 2024

There’s Still Room for Responsible State Income Tax Relief in 2023

Forty-three states adopted tax relief in 2021 or 2022—often in both years—and of those, 21 cut state income tax rates. It’s been a remarkable trend, driven by robust state revenues and an increasingly competitive tax environment.

4 min read
state tax inflation response like state tax rebates and tax holidays to combat inflation Federal tax collections inflation surging 2022

State Tax Policy as an Inflation Response

At the end of 2022, prices were 14.6 percent higher than they were two years prior. That’s the fastest inflation rate over any two calendar years since the stagflation era of the late 1970s. State policymakers are understandably interested in bringing any tools at their disposal to bear on the problem. And many of them are reaching for tax policy solutions.

7 min read
Analysis of West Virginia tax reform options including West Virginia income tax relief and property tax reform

West Virginia Is Being Left Behind on Tax Relief

West Virginia is one of only seven states that hasn’t offered any significant tax relief since 2021—and five of the other six forgo an individual income tax.

6 min read
Iowa tax reform including Iowa property tax reform Governor Kim Reynolds

Iowa Proposal to Rein in Property Taxes Misses the Mark

On the heels of adopting one of the most comprehensive state tax reform packages in years, Iowa lawmakers are back in Des Moines with property tax relief in their sights. But while the issue is worthy of their attention, House File 1 (HF 1) as currently drafted misses the mark.

4 min read
state wealth tax proposals state flat tax state income tax reform state tobacco taxes, state cigarette tax rates and cigarette taxes state tax incentives 2021 state revenue and 2021 state budget projections state tax reform covid and state tax cuts covid

Wealth Tax Proposals Are Back as States Take Aim at Investment

In a coordinated effort, lawmakers in seven states that collectively house about 60 percent of the nation’s wealth—California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, New York, and Washington—are introducing wealth tax legislation on Thursday.

7 min read
The Efficiency of State and Local Tax Administration of Local Taxes including Local Sales Taxes and Local Tourism Taxes

The Efficiency of State Administration of Local Taxes

The logic that has prevailed for local sales taxes should apply equally to other taxes that localities impose on multijurisdictional businesses, including local tourism taxes. The evidence is clear that central administration of local taxes reduces compliance costs without sacrificing local revenue.

15 min read
State reciprocity agreements including state income tax reciprocity agreements

Do Unto Others: The Case for State Income Tax Reciprocity

Remote and flexible work opportunities are here to stay, whether states like it or not. With enhanced opportunities to take their job with them wherever they please, more workers can factor tax burdens into their decision of where to live.

15 min read
Maryland digital advertising taxes Maryland digital tax

Maryland Court Strikes a Blow to Digital Advertising Taxes

The first-in-the-nation digital advertising tax was recently struck down by a Maryland circuit court on three separate grounds. Other states might want to avoid getting themselves into this situation in the first place.

5 min read
north carolina tax competitiveness North Carolina tax reform North Carolina business tax reform

2023 State Business Tax Climate Index

While there are many ways to show how much is collected in taxes by state governments, our Index is designed to show how well states structure their tax systems by focusing on the how more than the how much in recognition of the fact that there are better and worse ways to raise revenue.

129 min read
California tax increases, California tax ballot measure California Proposition 30 and California windfall profits tax proposal for California gas prices and tax on oil companies

California Can’t Give Up Tax Increases

California is no stranger to high taxes, and the state has enough going for it that its economy can withstand higher tax burdens than would be viable in other parts of the country. But there’s always a tipping point.

5 min read
Tyreek Hill taxes Tyreek hill state taxes and tax liability NFL federal tax on sports betting, excise tax on sports betting. BILL TO REPEAL EXCISE TAX ON LEGAL SPORTS BETS, Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) Super bowl sports betting. States Positioned for a Super Bowl Win with New Taxes on Sports Betting. The American Gaming Association estimates that Americans will wager a total of $4.3 billion on the highly anticipated matchup of the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa.

Tyreek Hill’s Tax Liability with Every NFL Franchise

When NFL star wide receiver Tyreek Hill weighed offers from the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins, no doubt there was a lot on his mind. But one consideration towered over the rest, at least according to Hill himself: signing with the Jets “was very close to happening,” but “those state taxes man. I had to make a grown-up decision.”

7 min read
Alaska income tax reforms and Alaska tax reform options

Economic Implications of an Alaska Income Tax or Its Alternatives

Alaska policymakers are understandably concerned about the long-term viability of the state’s overwhelming reliance on the oil and gas industry for revenue, but the state’s unique economy and geography, and low population density make some of the “traditional” taxes less efficient than they might be elsewhere.

55 min read