GeTtin' SALTy Podcast

In this episode of the GeTtin' SALTy podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Peter Blocker, Vice President of Tax Policy at the California Taxpayers Association, for a timely discussion about the California legislative landscape. Their conversation covers two developments: the recently passed California state budget and the now-finalized lineup of ballot measures heading to California voters. On th...

This episode of GeTtin' SALTy features an introductory conversation with Keith Richardson, the newly appointed Executive Director of the Multistate Tax Commission (MTC).  Host Nikki Dobay explores Keith's unconventional path to state and local tax administration, tracing his career from community banking and the North Philadelphia Financial Partnership through his tenure as Philadelphia Revenue Co...

In this episode of the GeTtin' SALTy podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Greenberg Traurig colleagues Brad Marsh and Jennifer Vincent to discuss a significant recent victory in the California Court of Appeal - First Appellate District: Xavier Garcia-Rojas v. Franchise Tax Board.  The case involved a Texas-based radiologist who performed all of his work from his home state yet faced California i...

  In this episode of Greenberg Traurig's GeTtin' SALTy podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Peter Blocker, Vice President of Policy at the California Taxpayers Association, and Alan Pasetsky, Owner and Founder of Tax Policy LLC, for an in-depth discussion of California Assembly Bill 1790 - a measure that, if passed, would repeal California's Water's Edge election for corporate income tax purpose...

In this episode of the GeTtin' SALTy podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Jared Walczak, Senior Fellow at the Tax Foundation and founder of the Walczak Policy Consulting Group, for a focused discussion on the evolving state and local tax treatment of data centers. Jared explains how many states initially structured their favorable treatment of data center equipment as targeted incentives rather...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, podcast host Nikki Dobay welcomes back Representative April Berg of Washington's 44th District for a deep dive into the 2026 landmark 60-day legislative session in Olympia.  Rep. Berg walks through the passage of Washington's new  tax - a 9.9% levy on individual income exceeding $1 million - marking the first time Washington, one of a handful of states without an...

In this post-session episode of the GeTtin' SALTy podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Jeff Newgard of Peak Policy for a comprehensive debrief on Oregon's 2026 short legislative session. Despite being limited to just 35 days, the session tackled a high volume of significant issues. Jeff and Nikki walk through the major tax and policy developments from the session, including the transportation fu...

In this episode of the GeTtin' SALTy podcast, host Nikki Dobay welcomes back Morgan Scarboro from MultiState Associates for a lively discussion on the hottest topics shaping state and local tax policy in the 2026 legislative sessions.  They take listeners on a round robin tour of key states—Virginia, New York, Illinois, Florida, California, Oregon, and Washington—highlighting budget battles, tax p...

In this episode of the GeTtin' SALTy Podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Jim Shea (Senior Vice President and Chief Tax Officer at Prudential) and John Mangan (Vice President and Deputy of State Relations at the American Council of Life Insurers) to break down the complex topic of insurance taxation in Washington State.  They discuss the century-old premium tax system, the impact and importance...

In this episode of the GeTtin' SALTy podcast, Nikki Dobay welcomes back Jeff Newgard, Executive Director and Principal of Peak Policy, to discuss Oregon's 2026 legislative session.    As lawmakers convene for a fast-paced 35-day session in an election year, Nikki and Jeff break down the political and policy dynamics shaping the state's tax landscape.  They address the ongoing transportation fundin...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay welcomes back Lucy Dadayan, Principal Research Associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, as they kickoff the first podcast episode of 2026.  Together, they unpack where state revenues stand after a turbulent 2025 and look ahead to what's in store for the new year.  They discuss the drivers behind modest revenue growth, the impact of inco...

Join host Nikki Dobay for the 2025 GeTtin' SALTy Podcast Year-In-Review, where she revisits some of the biggest state and local tax (SALT) policy stories of the year. This episode recaps key moments, starting with the sweeping "One Big Beautiful Bill" (OB3) and its impact on state tax conformity, bonus depreciation, and the shift from GILTI to NCTI—with special insights from Jared Walczak. It then...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay welcomes back Jared Walczak, Vice President of State Tax Projects at the Tax Foundation, for a wide-ranging discussion on the biggest state and local tax (SALT) policy developments of 2025.  Together, Nikki and Jared recap the fiscal health of the states, dig into why some states—like Washington and Maryland—are struggling despite robust revenues,...

In this engaging episode of Gettin' Salty, host Nikki Dobay sits down with the newest member of Greenberg Traurig's SALT team, Nicki Howard.  Nicki shares her journey into the world of tax law, from her early days at UPS to her in-house leadership at CSX, and now her transition to private practice.  The conversation covers the evolving landscape of state and local tax, the strategic importance of...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay welcomes Fred Nicely, Senior Tax Counsel at the Council On State Taxation (COST), for a discussion on the complexities of taxing the digital economy at the state and local level. Fred shares his unique journey into the world of SALT and draws on decades of experience to break down the key issues facing policymakers and practitioners. Nikki and Fre...

In this GeTtin' SALTy episode, Nikki Dobay hosts Shail Shah (Greenberg Traurig) and Joseph Bishop-Henchman (National Taxpayers Union Foundation) to break down the latest developments in NTU's case, challenging the constitutionality of California's 2024 budget changes.  NTU's legal challenged focuses on SB 167 and the creation of Section 25128.9, a statute that redefined "receipts" for purposes of...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay welcomes back Greenberg Traurig Shareholder Colin Fraser to break down the California Supreme Court's recent decision in Olympic & Georgia Partners.  They address the complexities of property tax assessments for hotels and other businesses receiving government subsidies, focusing on three key issues: the treatment of a unique city subsidy, the "ke...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Washington State Representative April Berg and leading tax scholar Professor Richard Pomp for a discussion of Washington's sweeping new sales tax on services, including the controversial digital advertising tax under Senate Bill 5814.  The trio explores the complexities of taxing services in a state without an income tax, the policy d...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Breen Schiller, shareholder in Greenberg Traurig's Chicago office, and Zachary Wyatt, Legislative Director at the Missouri Department of Revenue.  Together, they dive into a crucial topic in state and local tax: how agencies and private sector professionals can move beyond adversarial mindsets to foster collaboration, trust, and effic...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay is joined by fellow Greenberg Traurig shareholder Shail Shah to discuss the latest developments on the California state tax front.  They start with a breakdown of the Attorney General opinion affirming the Office of Tax Appeals' (OTA) authority to apply statutes over conflicting regulations, a shift that should positively impact taxpayer appeal ri...

In the latest episode of the GeTtin' SALTy & Beyond podcast, host Nikki Dobay is joined by Greenberg Traurig colleague Madeline Orlando for a deeper dive into the evolving world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws and their impact on state policy landscape.   The duo recaps major developments since their last discussion ( https://www.gtlaw.com/en/insights/2025/5/gettin-salty-episode-53...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki E. Dobay welcomes Shareholder Breen Schiller both to the podcast and to Greenberg Traurig State and Local Tax (SALT) Practice.   Breen shares her unique path into the world of SALT, her recent experiences, and what inspired her to return to private practice.   Nikki and Breen address the latest legislative changes in Illinois – including the controversi...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay welcomes back Jared Walczak, Vice President of State Projects at the Tax Foundation, for a discussion of the recently passed federal tax legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.   Nikki and Jared break down the high-level changes made to the federal tax code, focusing on the  implications for state budgets and tax conformity.   They cover the...

In this episode of GeTtin' SALTy, host Nikki Dobay is joined by fellow Greenberg Traurig shareholders Brad Marsh and Colin Fraser for a comprehensive catch-up on California property tax developments as Q2 2025 draws to a close. The discussion covers key legislative updates, including the impending expiration of the state's solar energy facility exclusion and ongoing reforms to the parent-child exc...

Gettin' SALTy podcast host Nikki E. Dobay welcomes back Morgan Scarboro, Vice President at Multistate Associates, for a lively midyear check-in on the dynamic world of state and local tax (SALT) policy.   Kicking off with a discussion of the much-anticipated federal tax bill—the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act," Nikki and Morgan break down what its provisions mean for states, separating political rhe...