Katherine Loughead

Coloradans to Vote on Structurally Unsound Property and Cannabis Tax Changes

North Carolina Considers Corporate Income Tax Repeal and Individual Income Tax Relief

Taken together, the proposed reforms would further solidify North Carolina’s position as a leader in sound tax policy and as a state whose tax code is among the most conducive to generating long-term economic growth.

Illuminating the Hidden Costs of State Tax Incentives

In most states, tax incentives abound, usually offered as a way of promoting new investment or attracting certain industries by shielding them from the full impact of otherwise high tax rates.

States Respond to Strong Fiscal Health with Income Tax Reforms

As states close their books for fiscal year 2021, many have much more revenue on hand than they anticipated last year. Eleven states have responded by reducing income tax rates and making related structural reforms as they strive to solidify a competitive advantage in an increasingly competitive national landscape.

Property and Sales Taxes Are a Major Driver of Corporations’ State and Local Tax Burdens

As policymakers consider ways to improve their tax structure to encourage business investment and promote economic growth, corporate income tax rate reductions are a crucial part of that conversation, but they shouldn’t be the only consideration.

What’s in Arizona’s Tax Reform Package?

After weeks of deliberations, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed into law a budget for fiscal year (FY) 2022 that reduces the state’s individual income tax rates and consolidates brackets, a plan that will help restore Arizona’s reputation as a low-tax alternative to California.

Wisconsin Legislature Considering Several Pro-Growth Tax Reforms

Reducing the second-highest individual income tax rate, repealing the TPP tax, and freezing UI tax rates are three valuable reforms that would help promote a smooth economic recovery in Wisconsin while setting the state up for robust economic growth for years to come.

State Tax Changes Taking Effect July 1, 2021

Thirteen states have notable tax changes taking effect on July 1, 2021, which is the first day of fiscal year (FY) 2022 for every state except Alabama, Michigan, New York, and Texas. Individual and corporate income tax changes usually take effect at the beginning of the calendar year for the sake of maintaining policy consistency throughout the tax year, but sales and excise tax changes often correspond with the beginning of a fiscal year.

Wisconsin’s Surplus Presents Opportunity for Down Payment on Future Economic Growth

As Wisconsin emerges from the pandemic, state policymakers have a rare opportunity to reinvest excess revenues in a structurally sound manner that will make the state more attractive to individuals and businesses, promote a quicker and more robust economic recovery, and put the state on the path to increased in-state investment and growth for many years to come.

Arizona Legislators Consider Lower, Flatter Income Tax

The income tax changes in HB 2900 as introduced would improve Arizona’s individual income tax structure and economic competitiveness, making the state more attractive to individuals and pass-through businesses .

Biden Administration Changes to GILTI and FDII Will Yield Automatic State Tax Increases

State taxation of GILTI is unconventional and economically uncompetitive and will become even more so if the federal government adopts a more aggressive approach to taxing GILTI, as outlined in the American Jobs Plan Act.

Location Matters 2021: The State Tax Costs of Doing Business

A landmark comparison of corporate tax costs in all 50 states, Location Matters provides a comprehensive calculation of real-world tax burdens, going beyond headline rates to demonstrate how tax codes impact businesses and offering policymakers a road map to improvement.

Outlier No More: Kansas Adopts Tax Reform with Wayfair Safe Harbor, GILTI Exclusion

After three years of deliberations, more than two-thirds of members in both the Senate and the House enacted tax reform and relief legislation Monday over the veto of Gov. Laura Kelly (D).

Kansas Lawmakers to Consider Veto Override on Tax Reform Bill

Kansas has the revenue cushion it needs to provide tax relief to individuals and businesses and improve the structure of its tax code in the process. These pro-growth reforms would not only help taxpayers amid the pandemic but would also promote economic recovery and growth in a state that is lagging behind its competitors.

Excluding GILTI and Reducing the Corporate Tax Rate Would Improve Nebraska’s Economic Competitiveness

Excluding Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (GILTI) from taxation and reducing the state’s top marginal corporate rate would improve the state’s economic competitiveness and are among the top income tax modernization priorities Nebraska policymakers ought to consider.

State Conformity to Federal Pandemic-Related Tax Provisions in CARES and ARPA

With so many federal changes occurring in such a short amount of time—including some federal provisions changing more than once and a major change to the treatment of UC income occurring in the middle of tax filing season—state legislators have faced the challenge of responding to these changes quickly in order to provide certainty to taxpayers.

Kentucky’s Century-Old Gas Tax Is Failing to Keep Up with Road Funding Needs

For the fourth year in a row, a comprehensive infrastructure funding reform bill has been introduced in Kentucky, with the centerpiece being a gas tax increase of 8.6 cents per gallon (cpg). Like many states, Kentucky faces a backlog of road maintenance and construction projects, and existing transportation taxes and user fees are failing to keep pace with funding needs.

Testimony: Prioritizing Comprehensive Tax Modernization in Nebraska

The Nebraska legislature has an excellent opportunity to make progress toward a simpler, stabler, less burdensome, and more competitive tax code.

Evaluating Mississippi’s Plan to Phase Out the Individual Income Tax

Mississippi has an opportunity to become the 10th state without an individual income tax and to do so with sales tax rates which, while certainly high, are in line with regional competitors. For such a momentous undertaking, however, policymakers should be equipped with reliable revenue projections and a detailed accounting of how much revenue is projected to come from each offsetting change. A change worth doing is worth doing right.

Which States Are Taxing Forgiven PPP Loans?

Congress chose to exempt forgiven Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from federal income taxation. Many states, however, remain on track to tax them by either treating forgiven loans as taxable income, denying the deduction for expenses paid for using forgiven loans, or both.