Expert
Katherine Loughead
Director of State Tax Projects
Katherine Loughead is the Director of State Tax Projects at the Tax Foundation, where she oversees the state tax policy team’s research agenda and serves as a resource to policymakers in their efforts to modernize and improve the structure of their state tax codes.
Katherine has testified before legislators in seven states and has authored or coauthored tax reform options guides on Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Her work has been cited in The New York Times, The Economist, USA TODAY, Forbes, Bloomberg, the Associated Press, and numerous state media outlets across the country.
Prior to joining the Tax Foundation in 2018, Katherine worked for a US senator and a member of the US House of Representatives, where she advised on tax policy during the consideration of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. A graduate of the John Wesley Honors College at Indiana Wesleyan University, Katherine holds a degree in English and business administration, as well as a paralegal certificate from Georgetown University.
Originally from Belvidere, Illinois, Katherine now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where she enjoys rock climbing and taking flying trapeze classes in her spare time.
Latest Work
Top State Tax Ballot Initiatives to Watch in 2018
Explore our list of the top state tax ballot measures to watch for throughout the country.
11 min read
Gas Taxes by State, 2018
2 min read
Online Sales Tax Revenue Presents Opportunity for Permanent, Comprehensive Reform in Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s tax system needs to be more competitive. New revenue from online sales taxes will make it easier to accomplish comprehensive reforms that benefit all Wisconsinites.
13 min read
How High Are Wine Taxes in Your State?
1 min read
Five States Accomplish Meaningful Tax Reform in the Wake of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, and Utah capitalized upon the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act’s (TCJA) changes by conforming to increase their annual state revenues.
5 min read
Sales Taxes on Soda, Candy, and Other Groceries, 2018
When policymakers get in the habit of handpicking goods for which the sales tax does or does not apply, the tax base simultaneously erodes and becomes more complex.
25 min read
To What Extent Does Your State Rely on Sales Taxes?
Sales taxes represent a major source of state and local revenue. Click to see how much your state relies on sales taxes and for a state-by-state comparison.
3 min read
How Much Does Your State Collect in Excise Taxes?
Excise taxes make up a relatively small portion of state and local tax collections—about 11 percent—but per capita collections vary widely from state to state.
3 min read