Recently I participated in a webinar for Kenan Flagler’s Tax Center.  It covers state responses to the pandemic and policies being considered.  While it is not focused on North Carolina or local governments, I think there is still much in there that is likely of interest to you all.  Especially because we all know that what happens at the state level impacts the local level.

And my co-presenters (their bios are at the bottom) were amazing!  One was named “The Most Influential Person on the Planet in State and Local Tax” by State Tax Notes and the other was identified by State Tax Notes as the “single most influential person in state taxation” and named as the publication’s inaugural Person of the Year.

The webinar is available here.

Here is the description of the webinar:

The economic disruption of COVID-19 will substantially affect state budgets in coming fiscal years, with an estimated $275 billion in revenue losses through fiscal June 2022. As states consider tax-based approaches to bridging the gap, businesses and individuals will need to alter their strategic planning to account for potential tax increases.

Join us on December 8, 2020, from 1-2:30 p.m EST for Tax Policy and Planning: How States Propose to Bridge COVID-19 Revenue Shortfall. This webinar, which provides 1.5 CPE credits, is the first in a series of tax policy webcasts jointly hosted by the Kenan Institute-affiliated UNC Tax Center and the AICPA. It will feature a panel of expert academics and practitioners to explore:

  • The current and future status of state budgets
  • Non-revenue solutions to fill the revenue gap
  • Likely revenue raisers, both temporary and permanent

Here are the bios of my co-presenters:

Joseph Crosby

Joe Crosby serves as Chairman & CEO of MultiState Associates, the nation’s leading state and local government relations services firm. Joe is involved in all aspects of the firm’s efforts to help clients resolve the challenges they face in the state and local government arena, with a concentration on providing strategic counsel, identifying and deploying political assets, and advancing tax policy objectives. Prior to MultiState, Joe spent 11 years with the Council On State Taxation (COST), an association representing the nation’s largest companies on state and local business tax issues. Joe served COST as chief operating officer & senior director, policy. In addition to his operational responsibilities, Joe managed COST’s advocacy program and regularly testified before state legislatures and other state and national policy-making bodies. Joe is a nationally recognized expert on state and local business tax policy. He was identified by State Tax Notes as the “single most influential person in state taxation” and named as the publication’s inaugural Person of the Year.

Harley Duncan

Mr. Duncan serves as the leader of the State and Local Tax group in KPMG’s Washington National Tax Office. His primary responsibilities include improving relationships with state taxing authorities, assisting clients in working with state tax agencies, keeping clients and firm members abreast of current developments and aiding the firm’s resource network. Prior to moving to KPMG in July 2008, Mr. Duncan spent the previous 20 years as Executive Director of the Federation of Tax Administrators, the association representing the principal state revenue collection agencies in each of the 50 states, D.C., and New York City. He also served five years as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Revenue. Prior to that, he was the Assistant Director of the Kansas Division of the Budget. He has held positions with South Dakota state government, the Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations and the National Governors’ Association. Mr. Duncan received New York University’s Outstanding Achievement in State and Local Taxation Award in December 2006 and was awarded the IRS Commissioner’s Award in June 2008. He was cited as “The Most Influential Person on the Planet in State and Local Tax” by State Tax Notes in 2008 and received the 2018 Franklin C Latcham Award for Distinguished Service in State and Local Tax from Bloomberg Tax.