The Abandoned Goal of Revenue Neutrality
Revenue-neutral proposals, like many things in politics, have become a relic of the past.
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New Taxes on Nicotine Pouches in the EU Could Hamper Health Goals
Academic research has continually found that making alternative nicotine products to cigarettes more expensive results in fewer smokers switching to less harmful products.
7 min read
Renting a Car? Half Your Bill May Be Taxes and Fees
Rental cars are some of the most heavily taxed transactions in the US. Rather than levying additional taxes on rental cars by trying to export the tax burden to nonresidents, municipalities should enact principled, neutral transportation tax policy that is unlikely to discourage visitors, tourists, and other economic activity.
5 min read
Louisiana and Oklahoma Propose a More Principled Tax on Moist Snuff Tobacco
Two bills in Oklahoma and Louisiana shift towards a weight-based system for taxing moist snuff tobacco (MST), a policy that ensures neutral taxation across products and less revenue volatility.
4 min read
Minnesota Should Learn from Europe: Wealth Taxes Are a Failed Experiment
A new bill introduced in the Minnesota House seeks to tax non-real assets, imposing an annual tax of 1 percent on “taxable wealth” exceeding $10 million for individuals and trusts from tax year 2026 onward.
6 min read
Minnesota Should Not Pay for Bad Tax Policy with More Bad Tax Policy
A pair of bills introduced in the Minnesota House—HF 3954 (overtime) and HF 3955 (tips)—would further erode the state’s tax climate by exempting certain overtime pay and tip income from Minnesota’s income tax.
5 min read
California’s Mandatory Worldwide Combined Reporting Proposal Is a Mistake
California lawmakers are considering mandating worldwide combined reporting, bringing back a policy the state abandoned in the 1980s due to strong pushback from international trading partners and the federal government. The policy failed to work as intended then and doesn’t make any better sense now.
8 min read
Hochul’s Pied-à-Terre Tax: One More Bad Option to Close NYC Budget Gap
New York City’s proposed “pied-à-terre” tax surcharge on second homes valued at over $5 million would impose higher costs for residents, reduce investment, and dim economic prospects.
Tax Refunds Are Higher. That’s Only a Fraction of the Story.
For many, the OBBBA made tax filing easier and put more money back into their pockets. But it didn’t improve the grade for overall tax complexity for the US. It may actually make the situation worse.
Windfall Profits Taxes on Oil and Gas Should Be Left in the Past
Windfall taxes, particularly those imposed on the oil and gas industry, often appear as a quick fix for governments seeking to raise revenue during periods of high commodity prices. However, while these taxes may offer short-term revenues, they can also trigger negative consequences that undermine their intended purpose.
21 min read
Ideas, Not Mandates: Lessons Learned from a Decade of International Tax Reform
The past decade’s record suggests that countries have reliable legislative methods to improve their tax systems through ordinary tax reforms.
22 min read
Maine’s Proposed Millionaire’s Tax Would Harm the State’s Economy
Maine’s proposed millionaire’s tax would bring Maine’s top income tax rate to 9.15 percent, dealing a blow to the state’s economic competitiveness.
5 min read
Corporate Tax Payments Will Fall This Year. Here’s Why That’s Good News.
Smaller corporate tax bills after the OBBBA are not evidence of new giveaways or loopholes. They are evidence the tax code is finally treating investment the way it should.
How Smart Policy Can Unlock VAT’s Revenue Potential
Closing the EU’s value-added tax (VAT) actionable policy gap could yield €773 billion in government revenue—four times the EU’s 2026 budget.
8 min read
Gas Tax Holidays Sound Politically Tempting. Too Bad They Don’t Work.
Gas tax prices are soaring across the country, and lawmakers are naturally looking for ways to alleviate the pain at the pump. While gas tax holidays—which temporarily suspend fuel taxes to artificially lower the price of gas—are a politically welcomed intervention, taxpayers shouldn’t be so quick to celebrate.
This Tax Season, Ask Where Your Money Is Going
By 2036, more than one out of every four dollars raised in total government revenue will go to pay interest on the debt.
Avenues for Property Tax Reform in North Carolina
When evaluating property tax reform options in North Carolina, only changes that restore balance—without distorting investment or shifting costs unfairly—will ensure the state’s local tax system supports, rather than hinders, continued prosperity.
8 min read
Kansas Property Tax Reform Should Prioritize Neutrality and Minimize Economic Distortions
While well-intentioned, Kansas’ assessment limit like the one in SCR 1616 would create wide gaps between a property’s assessed value and its market value, distorting the real estate market and disadvantaging those purchasing newer properties.
8 min read
Why Centralizing Louisiana’s Sales Tax Collection Is Smart
Enacting centralized sales tax collection and administration in Louisiana will help simplify the sales tax code and alleviate one of the issues that make it the least competitive sales tax regime in the country.
4 min read
Delaware Proposes Higher Tobacco Taxes, Risking Regressivity and Revenue Volatility
Delaware Governor Matt Meyer (D) has proposed a new state budget that includes roughly $18.9 million in additional annual revenue from higher tobacco taxes.
4 min read