A Primer on State and Local Tax Policy: Trade-Offs Among Tax Instruments

Abstract

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 short discussion of criteria for evaluating tax revenue options (i.e., economic efficiency, equity, transparency, collectability, and revenue production). It proceeds to an overview of the different types of taxes employed at various levels of government and an evaluation of each tax against these criteria. The tax categories included here are individual income taxes, consumption taxes, real property taxes, and corporate income taxes.