“If Benjamin Franklin was right, and nothing is certain but death and taxes, we need to understand them.” 

John Plecnik, J.D, is an expert on the taxes part. The Associate Professor of Law and Interim Associate Dean for Graduate Studies guides legislators on the constitutional limits of taxation and promotes fairness in how we pay for our public policy.

“My research deals with the constitutionality and fundamental fairness of different tax systems,” he says. “I also serve as Councilman for Willoughby Hills, where I directly apply my interest in tax policy at the local level.”

In his writings, Dr. Plecnik makes the case that not all taxes are created equal. 

“A sales tax, which taxes only consumption, is less fair than an income tax, which reaches consumption plus increases in wealth, which in turn, is less fair than a wealth tax that reaches an even broader base,” he explains.

Dr. Plecnik’s research has appeared in publications like the Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly. To learn more about his work, visit his faculty profile.