State Business Tax Burdens

State tax systems have generally not changed dramatically over the last 50 years, yet they are facing profound challenges. Increased international trade, the advent of electronic commerce, evolving federal-state relations, and interstate competition are just some of the developments that will have a powerful influence on how states collect revenue. This collection of essays from leading tax scholars addresses a wide variety of issues concerning the major sources of state tax revenue and provides insight into what has worked in the past and what will or will not work in the future.

A landmark comparison of corporate tax costs in all 50 states, Location Matters calculates and analyzes the tax burdens of seven model firms--a corporate headquarters, a research and development facility, an independent retail store, a capital-intensive manufacturer, a labor-intensive manufacturer, a call center, and a distribution center--once as new firms eligible for tax incentives and once as mature firms not eligible for such incentives.The result is a comprehensive calculation of real-world tax burdens designed as a resource for policymakers, corporate executives, trade organizations, site-selection experts, and media organizations. Location Matters provides the tools necessary to understand each state's business tax system and the burdens it imposes, offering a roadmap for improvement.

Papers delivered by various contributors at a seminar organized by the National Tax Association on 7-8 March, 1991. Includes: State business taxation: description and rationales; State taxation of corporate income; Exporting of state taxes; State taxation of telecommunications; State taxation of multistate banking; State taxation of insurance companies; Environmental taxes and fees.