tax base

noun

: the wealth (such as real estate or income) within a jurisdiction that is liable to taxation

Examples of tax base in a Sentence

an area with a large tax base

Recent Examples on the Web

It is often assumed that, absent migration, low fertility will cause a country’s labor force to shrink, leading to shortages of workers, decreased productivity, and a diminishing tax base. —Vegard Skirbekk, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2024

Exempting tip income from taxation shrinks the tax base and doesn’t do anything for tax rates. —The Editors, National Review, 14 Aug. 2024

Developers have hit the brakes on building new apartments — which have added billions to the city tax base in recent years — due to high interest rates. —Nick Halter, Axios, 5 Aug. 2024

More families would mean a stronger tax base to support towns such as Coalinga, which just two years ago nearly ran out of water after its primary source — piped in from a federal reservoir 90 miles away — was severely curtailed during a drought. —Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1943, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

tax base

noun

1

: a sum (as the total assessed valuation of property in a county) used as the basis of taxation

2

: the source of tax revenue for a governmental body

change the tax base of a school district to reduce the property tax burden