The taxation landscape of the US state of California could face unprecedented changes in the near future, seeing the removal of traditional forms of sales and corporate taxation. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California, has called for a special Legislature sessions to approve the transformation of California's taxation system. The changes which he seeks to be approved are detailed in a report published on the 29th of September by the Commission on the 21st Century Economy, a fourteen member group appointed by California's Democratic ... Read More

The states of New York and New Jersey are the worst in the US for doing business, due to their taxation policies. According to a study published by the Washington D.C. based Tax Foundation, New York and New Jersey are the worst in the country for doing business, as ranked by the State Business Tax Climate Index. New Jersey was ranked last amongst the 50 states, with New York following at 49th. The study aims to create an index to compare state tax ... Read More

Swiss voters have approved an increase in the country's Value Added Tax (VAT). In a nation-wide referendum, held on the 27th of September, Swiss voters approved raising each of Switzerland's three VAT rates. As of January 2011, the standard VAT rate in Switzerland will be 8%, compared to the current 7.6%. The VAT for lodging services will increase by 0.2% to 3.8%, and reduced rate items like food, newspapers and medicine will see a rate rise of 0.1% to a level of 2.5%. ... Read More

The Swedish government has announced their plans to reduce the country's income tax levels. In an effort to bolster the ailing employment market, the Swedish Government has announced another round of income tax cuts. The tax cut will see a cut of SEK250 from the average worker's monthly tax duty. It is intended that the lowered income tax levels will encourage Swedish citizens to return to the work force. Prior to the tax cuts, governmental estimates had placed unemployment in Sweden at 8.8% ... Read More