Evaluating U.S. Tax Reform Options & Trade-Offs

Washington Voters to Weigh in on New Capital Gains Income Tax

On May 4th, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed legislation creating a 7 percent capital gains tax, to take effect next year. On November 2nd, Washington lawmakers will learn what voters think about it.

Lawmakers Could Pay for Reconciliation While Improving the Tax Code

With corporate and individual rate hikes potentially out of the Build Back Better (BBB) reconciliation package, lawmakers are weighing alternative options to raise revenue. Rather than come up with untested proposals and complicated changes to the tax base, they should prioritize options that raise revenue while improving the structure of the tax code.

Proposed Minimum Tax on Book Income Would Hit Stock-Based Compensation

Raising taxes on stock-based compensation through a book income tax will disadvantage this form of compensation and produce more complexity in the tax system without providing benefits to workers.

Coloradans to Vote on Structurally Unsound Property and Cannabis Tax Changes

Funding for Democrats’ $3.5 Trillion Spending Plan Is Unstable and Unsustainable

One has to wonder how stable or sustainable the Democrats’ spending program can be if it must rely so heavily on the taxes paid by such a small number of taxpayers as in the top 1 percent.

Louisiana Voters Have Chance to Simplify Taxes and Lower Burdens

Passage of Louisiana Amendments 1 and 2, which are aimed at the sales tax and individual and corporate income taxes, respectively, would substantially simplify the Pelican State’s tax code and provide tax relief in both the short and long term.

Movers and Shakers in the International Tax Competitiveness Index

The Index provides lessons for policymakers when they are thinking of ways to remove distortions from their tax systems and remain competitive against their peers. The further up a country moves on the Index, the more likely it is to have broader tax bases, relatively lower rates, and policies that are less distortionary to individual or business decisions. Going the other way reveals a policy preference for narrow tax bases, special tax policy tools, and rules that make it difficult for compliance.

Proposal for Reporting Requirements for Financial Institutions Misses the Mark

Reducing the tax gap is a good idea, but the reporting requirements for financial institutions could be better-targeted at the problem at hand.

What’s Going on with the Child Tax Credit Debate?

President Biden expanded and fundamentally changed the Child Tax Credit (CTC) for one year in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) passed in March 2021. Policymakers are now deciding the future of the expansion as part of the proposed reconciliation package, but a wide range of estimates for the effects of a permanent expansion is confusing the debate.

As Inflation Rises, So Will Tax Bills in Many States

Inflation is often called a hidden tax, but in many states it yields a far more literal tax increase as tax brackets fail to adjust for changes in consumer purchasing power.