by Dan Mitchell | Jul 1, 2025 | Blogs, States, Taxation
In 1972, Ohio politicians made the mistake of imposing a state income tax. That first tax had a top rate of 3.5 percent, but politicians quickly became addicted to this new source of tax revenue. By 1984, the top rate had jumped to 9.5 percent....
by Dan Mitchell | May 7, 2025 | Blogs, Flat Tax, Free Market, Taxation
I’m in Estonia as part of the Free Market Road Show, so this is a good opportunity for Part III of my series on that country’s rebound from communism. To follow up on Part I and Part II, let’s start with this Fraser Institute video. I’ve always...
by Dan Mitchell | Apr 8, 2025 | Blogs, Taxation
When I write about tax reform, I emphasize that there are three equally important features of the flat tax. One low tax rate on productive behavior. No double taxation of saving and investment. No distorting and inefficient loopholes. Regarding the third...
by Dan Mitchell | Dec 6, 2024 | Blogs, States, Taxation
While there are plenty of reasons to be depressed about public policy (particularly the growing burden of government spending), there are a few reasons to feel optimistic. Argentina’s libertarian revolution. School choice revolution in the states. Tax cutting...
by Dan Mitchell | Nov 3, 2024 | Blogs, Education, Taxation, Uncategorized
One of my traditions is that I highlight the most important ballot initiatives every year (see 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, etc). Unlike contests between flawed and deceptive politicians, these initiatives often provide clear-cut...