Episode 14

full
Published on:

10th Feb 2021

The Tax Foundation with Jared Walczak

In this episode of the SALTovation podcast, we speak with Jared Walczak, Vice-President of State Projects at the Tax Foundation, and our very own Judy Vorndran. Jared talks about his work with the Tax Foundation, a non-profit, independent tax policy organization. He shares how he came into his role there and how he works with legislation about tax issues in a nonpartisan way. Listen as he shares what he sees will happen with tax policies as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 


Questions asked and answered in this Episode:


 


  • How did Jared make his way to the Tax Foundation?


  • What does he focus on at the Tax Foundation?


  • Where does the Tax Foundation gather their data for analysis?


  • How are they structured to cover all 50 states?


  • How does he see states changing tax policies due to the effects of COVID-19 pandemic?


  • What does he enjoy the most in his job?

 


What You Will Discover:


 


  • [01:00] How Jared joined the Tax Foundation and his first job in legislature


  • [03:08] Where he focuses his efforts and energy at the Tax Foundation


  • [04:41] An overview of the organization’s state tax team


  • [06:58] Where Tax Foundation gathers their data for analysis


  • [15:45] What is the Colorado Sales And Use Tax Simplification Task Force


  • [19:32] How the Tax Foundation strays from advocacy


  • [26:47] Jared’s “I told you so” moment


  • [31:32] How Judy learned about the Tax Foundation


  • [31:17] The Tax Foundation’s publications


  • [33:24] How state taxes vary and other tax issues


  • [42:26] How state tax policies can change due to the COVID-19 pandemic


  • [50:27] What Jared enjoys the most about his job

 


Quotables:


 


  • “We’re a small team. I’d like to think that  ” - Jared Walczak [05:02]

 


  • “State lawmakers, they’re smart people, but they can’t all be experts on every issue. In many cases, they’re part-time. They honestly usually do not have significant full-time staff or if they do, it’s like a legislative assistant. I’ve been one. It’s not a huge policy research team that they have access to, so there’s this enormous need for serious but also digestible research and analysis, and I think it makes a huge difference. And we can provide that.” - Jared Walczak [14:07]

 


  • “I think that we have found the right approach. We do education.” - Jared Walczak [20:20]

 


  • “I found the Tax Foundation's maps, and I’ve been relying on them ever since, because it’s a way to see that snapshot of America and all the bits and pieces that you guys share.” - Judy Vorndran [31:57]

 


  • “We have a relationship with lawmakers that I think sets us apart from a lot of other organizations.” - Jared Walczak [50:49]

 


Relevant Links:


 


Website: https://taxfoundation.org/


LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredwalczak/


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Production Support

This episode was produced with support from Truth Work Media. www.truthworkmedia.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Advanced Sales and Use Tax Workshop

Take your sales tax to the next level at Advanced Sales and Use Tax Workshop, February 19-21 in Nashville. Diane Yetter and the Sales Tax Institute’s industry-leading faculty provide individualized training, valuable resources, and practical solutions. Expand your network and earn 23 CPE credits. Visit the link in the show notes and use the code SALTOV10 for 10% off. Save your spot now!" https://keap.page/xp141/saltovation-podcast.htm

Use Tax Workshop

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About the Podcast

SALTovation: Making Sense of State and Local Tax
Welcome to SALTovation. The SALTovation show is a podcast series featuring the leading voices in state and local tax (SALT). Here we talk about issues, strategies, and planning tools to help you make sense of SALT. Because, in SALT, there is no “one and done.” SALT is a puzzle of ever-changing pieces. Solving that puzzle is our business at SALTovation. Tens of thousands of listeners know they won't get tax talk as usual with the SALTovation team. Our team is known for straight-talk with a flair for fun, providing clarity and opinions that move businesses forward with confidence.

Attorney, CPA, speaker, and writer Judy Vorndran leads the SALTovation team as they go inside business to help deal with the daily operations and long-term strategies of making SALT less “taxing.” Judy has spent more than 25 years advocating for businesses with innovative strategies, renowned knowledge and experience. She has helped guide thousands of taxpayers across the nation and globally through the morass of SALT, freeing them to concentrate on growth. Joining Judy are the wickedly smart members of the SALTovation team, who have seen, worked with and tamed some of the most prickly issues in SALT. They enjoy sharing their stories and knowledge with listeners.

Solving the SALT puzzle doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it takes a community. So, we invite leaders in business and state and local tax to share their stories, challenges and successes on this show. Drop us a line at SALTovation.com if you'd like to join the conversation and tune into our regular series at TaxOps.com.