SPECIAL REPORT IN PRINCIPLES AND POLICY: A GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA’S TAX SYSTEM April 2013 A Publication of the California Budget Project California Budget Project This report was initially written by former executive director Jean Ross and was updated by Alissa Anderson and Samar Lichtenstein. The CBP was founded in 1994 to provide Californians with a source of timely, objective, and accessible expertise on state fi scal and economic policy issues. The CBP engages in independent fi scal and policy analysis and public education with the goal of improving the economic and social well-being of low- and middle-income Californians. Support for the CBP comes from foundation grants, subscriptions, and individual contributions. Please visit the CBP’s website at www.cbp.org. California Budget Project 1107 9th Street, Suite 310 Sacramento, CA 95814 P: (916) 444-0500 F: (916) 444-0172
[email protected] www.cbp.org Table of Contents Introduction: Why We Should Care 3 What Should a Good Tax System Do? 3 The Personal Income Tax 11 The Sales and Use Tax 13 The Corporate Income Tax 15 Other State Taxes 18 Tax Administration: Why It Matters 23 Constitutional and Voter-Enacted Constraints on Tax Policymaking 24 Conclusion: Issues and Options for Reform 24 Endnotes 26 Most simply, taxes are the way governments raise the revenues necessary to support public services. While INTRODUCTION: WHY WE there is little disagreement over the purpose of state and local taxes, there is considerable controversy over what SHOULD CARE constitutes an appropriate level of taxation and how state tax systems ought to be structured.