This primer provides an overview of the different types of general revenue taxes used in American state and local governments. The intended audience includes policy makers, their advisors, and other citizens interested in the trade-offs involved in setting tax policy. The primer begins with a...

This paper reviews the literature and evidence on the most appropriate structure of regional and local taxes in developing countries. A good subnational tax system is critical to an effective and sustainable system of intergovernmental fiscal relations - a need that has become increasingly...

This article reviews the recently completed National Tax Association's special study on the taxation of Electronic Commerce and Telecommunication. It describes the major issues examined by the study group and notes the potential effect the Final Report is having on the current debate. It also...

The author looks at the results of a survey of city officials; they said that the federal deficit is a problem for cities and that their greatest challenges are unfunded mandates, cuts in aid, and political pressures such as moves to limit taxes. Most city officials said their system of public...

The author writes that the property tax exemption for charitable institutions is facing an unsettled political climate. Charities encounter difficulties because of this situation but also benefit from it, the author says

One function of the tax code is to implement social policy, incentivizing members of the public to make decisions policymakers believe to be desirable. But the tax code is complex and acquiring and processing complex information is costly. In this study, we hypothesize that tax preparers serve...

An international tax haven is usually a low-tax jurisdiction that seeks to attract investment by foreign investors. But, there are many state and local jurisdictions within federal systems that set zero tax rates on personal or corporate income, consumption, property, and wealth in an effort to...