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

The economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic poses a triple challenge for tax policy in the United States. Lawmakers are tasked with crafting a policy response that will accelerate the economic recovery, reduce the mounting deficit, and protect the most vulnerable.

To assist lawmakers in navigating the challenge, and to help the American public understand the tax changes being proposed, the Tax Foundation’s Center for Federal Tax Policy modeled how 70 potential changes to the tax code would affect the U.S. economy, distribution of the tax burden, and federal revenue.

In tax policy there is an ever-present trade-off among how much revenue a tax will raise, who bears the burden of a tax, and what impact a tax will have on economic growth. Armed with the information in our new book, Options for Reforming America’s Tax Code 2.0, policymakers can debate the relative merits and trade-offs of each option to improve the tax code in a post-pandemic world.

New Jersey millionaires tax, New Jersey FY 2021 budget
Blog

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
Colorado Amendment B Gallagher Amendment property tax limit
Blog

Colorado Voters to Decide Fate of Longstanding Property Tax Limit

One of the many policy questions Colorado voters will be tasked with deciding this November is whether to amend the state constitution to repeal the Gallagher Amendment, a provision within the Colorado constitution that, since 1982, has limited residential property to 45 percent of the statewide property tax base. Repealing the Gallagher Amendment would cause residential property taxes to rise over time but would also enhance the neutrality and overall competitiveness of the tax code.

4 min read
marijuana tax gross receipts tax
Blog

Voters in Four States to Vote on Recreational Marijuana

Legalizing recreational marijuana is a hot topic in many states where the state budgets are in disarray because of the coronavirus pandemic and new revenue sources are being sought.

7 min read
environmental tax policies, environmental taxation
Blog

Countries Eye Environmental Taxation

A recent OECD report on 2020 tax reforms reveals an increase in the number of environmentally-related tax policies, including gas taxes, carbon taxes, and taxes on electricity consumption.

5 min read
Blog

Designing a Global Minimum Tax with Full Expensing

The design and implementation of a global minimum tax is not simple and straightforward. There are dozens of challenging issues that policymakers will need to consider. So, when it comes to the way the minimum tax treats new investment, it seems clear that incorporating full expensing into the design would have significant benefits.

6 min read
Sweden's 2021 budget, Sweden 2021 permanent personal income tax cuts
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Sweden’s 2021 Budget: Permanent Income Tax Cuts

Sweden’s 2021 budget outlines an aggressive plan to both cut income taxes in a permanent manner alongside multiple other tax cuts and spending increases

3 min read
Maryland alcohol tax, Maryland beer tax, Maryland wine tax
Blog

Maryland Lawmakers Look to Alcohol for New Revenue

While there are legitimate reasons for increasing and levying excise taxes, legislatures should proceed with caution in the aftermath of the pandemic. Importantly, revenue from increased excise taxes should generally be allocated to spending related to the negative externalities as that revenue is too volatile and unreliable to rely on for long-term budget priorities.

3 min read