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The Art of the State Relationship

Learn how advisory relationships between state tax agencies and corporate tax leaders can be mutually beneficial.

Vertex Tax Software to handle the evolving world of state tax legislation.

Article Overview

In this Tax Notes State article, Vertex Chief Tax Officer Michael J. Bernard discusses the mutually beneficial advisory relationships between state tax agencies and corporate tax leaders.

Corporate tax functions of all sizes understand that state governments will be enacting new tax related laws and rule changes in the face of revenue shortfalls and budget deficits. By investing the time and energy required to establish and nurture mutually beneficial advisory relationships with state tax agencies, corporate tax leaders can limit the likelihood of detrimental tax rule proposals being enacted, as the costs of rushed or poorly crafted regulations can be onerous. In this article, Michael addresses the following questions and more:

  • How can tax leaders win public sector friends and influence legislation?
  • What are the benefits to these relationships?
  • How do these relationships impact ballot initiatives?
  • How can these relationships create career opportunities?

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Featured Author

Michael J. Bernard, Chief Tax Officer – Transaction Tax at Vertex Inc. Vertex's Chief Tax Office (CTO) provides insight regarding the impact of tax regulations, policy, enforcement, and emerging technology trends on global tax department operations.

Michael J. Bernard

Chief Tax Officer, Transaction Tax

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Michael Bernard is the Chief Tax Officer of Transaction Tax. In his role, he provides insight and thought leadership around tax department operations, U.S. indirect tax, tax risk management, and tax policy, as well as emerging tax trends. He is an executive-level tax attorney with a diverse portfolio of experience in corporate tax, administration, and finance, including a substantive knowledge of U.S. and international tax laws.

Prior to joining Vertex, Michael was in various tax leadership roles at Microsoft Corporation for 28 years, the most recent being Senior Director – Tax Counsel. Michael led teams in the following functional areas: direct and indirect tax controversy, sales and use, business license, property, tax IT, SOX, and telecommunications. He also co-led a corporate taxpayer advocacy group with the Washington Department of Revenue and was a Director on the Board of the Washington Research Council. Michael has also testified before administrative and lawmakers at both the federal and state level.

Michael earned both a J.D. and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Creighton University. He is a part-time lecturer of Law in the LLM program at the University of Washington School of Law. Michael also served on the board of directors, executive committee, and chaired committees for The Tax Executives Institute (TEI) for nearly 25 years.

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