The lodestar guiding the White House Coronavirus Task Force’s coordinated response to the coronavirus pandemic gripping America is “locally executed, state managed, and federally supported.” As supporters of the principle of federalism, we support empowering state and local policymakers to make the right decisions for their constituents. As the national response to the COVID-19 virus continues to unfold, it is important to remember states have a crucial role to play.

Many states have risen to meet the challenge. State governments cannot print money or carry trillions in debt like the federal government. But they are much closer to the economic woes facing millions of people, who are out of work or were forced to close their business to comply with health policy measures. One extremely positive way states have responded to the coronavirus crisis has been to delay their income tax filing and payment deadlines. The IRS recently announced this for federal taxes: July 15 is now 2020’s federal Tax Day. For families and businesses struggling to stay afloat during these challenging times, the last thing they need to be worried about is tax law compliance or figuring out how to pay the taxman with empty bank accounts.