Taxes are an important part of the mix, and modernizing a state’s tax structure helps position it for growth. States that rank better on the Index have better-structured tax codes, and states with better-structured tax codes get Wins Above Replacement.
5 min read
Illinois lawmakers are attempting to rush through a harmful mark-to-market capital gains tax proposal that captures unrealized gains.
7 min read
In addition to the federal estate tax, which has a top marginal rate of 40 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia impose estate taxes, while five states levy inheritance taxes.
8 min read
Creative destruction—coined by famed economist Joseph Schumpeter—is the idea that new innovations disrupt and “destroy” existing economic structures as they create better and more efficient products and processes.
4 min read
In 2025, the Texas legislature sought to make the state more competitive for small businesses by exempting a greater amount of business personal property from taxation, reducing compliance burdens at the cost of a trivial amount of revenue.
3 min read
The 2025 Spanish Regional Tax Competitiveness Index allows policymakers and taxpayers to evaluate and measure how their regions’ tax systems compare.
7 min read
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) simultaneously increased tax progressivity and decreased redistribution in the tax code. Our estimates suggest the OBBBA similarly combines a more progressive tax system with a lower degree of tax redistribution.
4 min read
Amidst a government shutdown, healthcare subsidies have metastasized into a major threat to the nation’s fiscal and economic health.
Sean Bray interviewed Dr. Sérgio Vasques, Professor of Tax Law at the Catholic University of Lisbon and former Portuguese Secretary of State for Tax Affairs, about the future of the EU tax mix.
7 min read
The most effective way to tax alcoholic beverages is to tax according to alcohol content, rather than beverage type.
5 min read
While there are many factors that affect a country’s economic performance, taxes play an important role. A well-structured tax code is easy for taxpayers to comply with and can promote economic development while raising sufficient revenue for a government’s priorities.
93 min read
When property values soar, homeowners can end up paying significantly higher taxes for basically the same services. Thankfully, there is a solution.
The fiscal fight that resulted in the current federal government shutdown is, at its core, about the healthcare sector, spiraling healthcare costs, and federal subsidies.
7 min read
The past four years have brought significant focus on state income tax reform and relief, and with that, something of a flat tax revolution.
11 min read
Sean Bray interviewed Professor of Tax Law at the Lisbon School of Law of the Catholic University of Portugal, Dr. Miguel Correia, about the future of the EU tax mix.
12 min read
With property tax bills on the rise, homeowners are searching for answers—and some even want to abolish the tax altogether. In this episode, we break down why property taxes are increasing, common but flawed solutions, and why the property tax remains an economically efficient revenue source.
Excise taxes generate more than two trillion dollars worldwide each year. While tying an excise tax revenue source to a specific expenditure program can be a best practice, the efficiency depends on the revenue source, the spending program, and why the excise tax was implemented in the first place.
6 min read
Taxing carbon emissions could leave decisions about reducing greenhouse gases to the market.
Backfilling forgone local property tax revenue through new state taxes is difficult because it dramatically shifts overall tax burdens, undermines local accountability, and cannot easily adjust for changing population mixes.
20 min read
Public health organizations continue to push for excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Several governments around the globe already levy an excise tax on sugary beverages.
5 min read