Wesley Tharpe is Senior Advisor for State Tax Policy on the State Fiscal Policy team of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. In this role, he leads the Center’s research and analyses of state revenue policies, trends, and opportunities, and collaborates closely with fellow researchers, advocates, and other internal and external stakeholders to help drive sound, equitable tax policy reform in the states.
Tharpe previously served as Deputy Director of State Policy Research, where he helped lead a team of analysts and conducted research on an array of state fiscal and economic issues. Prior to joining the Center as a Senior Policy Analyst in 2018, he served as Research Director at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, where he marshalled the organization’s policy agenda and for seven years coordinated with advocates, elected officials, and community partners on topics including tax reform, jobs and wages, and immigrant inclusion. Before joining the world of state policymaking, Tharpe worked at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, where he managed projects to promote civic engagement and peaceful conflict resolution both locally and abroad.
A native of Fayetteville, Georgia, Tharpe holds a B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from the University of Georgia and an M.A. in Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins University.