Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Alabama

Which States Allow Deductions for Federal Income Taxes Paid?

Three states allow an unusual income tax deduction for federal income taxes paid. Missouri and Oregon limit these deductions by capping and/or phasing out the deduction, while Alabama, offers what amounts to an unlimited deduction. These deductions are detrimental to state income tax systems on many fronts, as they offer large benefits to high-income earners […]

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Abortion-Restricting States Skimp on Funding for Children

November 9, 2023 • By Amy Hanauer

Abortion-Restricting States Skimp on Funding for Children

States differ dramatically in how much they allow families to make choices about whether and when to have children and how much support they provide when families do. But there is a clear pattern: the states that compel childbirth spend less to help children once they are born.

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The Moore Case Before the U.S. Supreme Court Could Widen the Racial Wealth Gap

October 17, 2023 • By Brakeyshia Samms, Moore v. United States

The Moore Case Before the U.S. Supreme Court Could Widen the Racial Wealth Gap

Moore v. United States, already a cause for concern for tax lawyers, could create more barriers for racial equity advocates working to reverse the economic plight of many households of color.

Sales Tax Holidays: An Ineffective Alternative to Real Sales Tax Reform

Nineteen states have sales tax holidays on the books in 2023, and these suspensions will cost nearly $1.6 billion in lost revenue this year. Sales tax holidays are poorly targeted and too temporary to meaningfully change the regressive nature of a state’s tax system. Overall, the benefits of sales tax holidays are minimal while their downsides are significant.

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Testimony: Tax Policy to Strengthen Social Security

July 12, 2023 • By Amy Hanauer

Testimony: Tax Policy to Strengthen Social Security

We can make modest reforms to better tax those who are taking a larger share of our wealth and income in order to reinforce a major pillar of our promise to Americans.

State Rundown 6/22: Some Tax Debates Heat Up as Others Cool Off

Summer is here and many states nearing the end of their legislative sessions. Temperatures are rising in more ways than one in some state legislatures while others seem to be cooling off.

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State Rundown 6/7: The Budget Race Continues

June 7, 2023 • By ITEP Staff

State Rundown 6/7: The Budget Race Continues

Across the country, the marathon budget season has held pace, with a steady stream of bills continuing to cross the finish line...

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State Rundown 6/1: State Revenue Highs and Lows

June 1, 2023 • By ITEP Staff

State Rundown 6/1: State Revenue Highs and Lows

Short-sighted tax cuts continue to make their way to Governors’ desks this week. In Florida, Gov. DeSantis signed a $1.3 billion tax cut package with $550 million of the tax cuts from sales tax holidays, alone. The Nebraska legislature also sent $6.4 billion in tax cuts to Gov. Pillen’s desk which includes an enormous personal income tax cut that will reduce taxes on the top 1 percent by tens of thousands of dollars.

State Rundown 5/25: The North Star State Leads the Way on Tax Fairness

As we approach the midpoint of 2023, it’s a good time to look back at the progress states have made in the name of tax fairness and equity...

State Rundown 5/18: Credits, Cuts, and Corporate Revenue Raisers

This past week, in statehouses around the country, tax policy decisions are moving fast as budgets were signed and budget plans were released and passed...

Extending Temporary Provisions of the 2017 Trump Tax Law: National and State-by-State Estimates

The push by Congressional Republicans to make the provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent would cost nearly $300 billion in the first year and deliver the bulk of the tax benefits to the wealthiest Americans.

State Rundown 5/3: Policy Debates Unfold from Capitol to Capital

While the conversations on the debt ceiling heat up in the nation's capital, debates on state tax policy also continue to unfold in capitol buildings across the nation...

State Rundown 4/27: Health, Wealth, and State Tax Policy

This week the importance of state tax policy is center stage once again...

State Rundown 4/12: Tax Day 2023 – A Good Reminder of the Impact of Our Collective Investments

With Tax Day quickly approaching it’s worth taking some time to reflect not just on tax forms (though those are important!), but also on the current state of state tax policy...

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State Rundown 4/6: More SALT, Please

April 6, 2023 • By ITEP Staff

State Rundown 4/6: More SALT, Please

This week, a bill out of Arkansas that would cut the top personal income tax rate and the corporate income tax rate found its way to the governor’s desk...

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State Rundown 3/15: Tax Madness

March 15, 2023 • By ITEP Staff

State Rundown 3/15: Tax Madness

It’s March and state lawmakers are showing why the Madness isn’t only reserved for the basketball court...

State Rundown 3/9: The Whirlwind 2023 Legislative Session Continues

State 2023 legislative sessions are proving to be eventful ones. With many states eager to make use of their budget surpluses, major tax changes are still being proposed and others signed into law. Michigan residents will soon see an increase to their state Earned Income Tax Credit (from 6 percent to 30 percent) after the […]

Contact: Jon Whiten – [email protected]  Lawmakers in several states are discussing enacting or expanding school voucher tax credits, which reimburse individuals and businesses for “donations” they make to organizations that give out vouchers for free or reduced tuition at private K-12 schools, as a new brief released today by the Institute on Taxation and Economic […]

Tax Avoidance Continues to Fuel School Privatization Efforts

Wealthy families are overwhelmingly the ones using school voucher tax credits to opt out of paying for public education and other public services and to redirect their tax dollars to private and religious institutions instead. Most of these credits are being claimed by families with incomes over $200,000.

State Rundown 2/15: Love You, Love You Not – Tax Edition

This week, a fresh bouquet of tax proposals was delivered by state lawmakers, but not all of them have left us with that warm, fuzzy feeling in our stomachs...

State Rundown 1/19: ITEP Provides a Roadmap for Equitable Tax Goals in 2023

State legislatures are buzzing as leaders and lawmakers jockey to advance their 2023 goals...

State Rundown 1/5: State Taxes Coming in Hot in New Year

The new year often brings with it new goals and a desire to take on complex problems with a fresh perspective. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always apply to state lawmakers when considering tax policy...

State Child Tax Credits and Child Poverty: A 50-State Analysis

Regardless of future Child Tax Credit developments at the federal level, state policies can supplement the federal credit to deliver additional benefits to children and families. State credits can be specifically tailored to meet the needs of local populations while also producing long-term benefits for society as a whole

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State Rundown 11/2: Midterms on the Mind

November 2, 2022 • By ITEP Staff

State Rundown 11/2: Midterms on the Mind

Next Tuesday, voters will head to the polls to not only elect local and national leaders, but also let their voices be heard on a range of tax policy issues that could improve or worsen their state tax codes...

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State Rundown 10/5: Forecasting Ain’t Easy

October 5, 2022 • By ITEP Staff

State Rundown 10/5: Forecasting Ain’t Easy

Although the weather is beginning to cool down in parts of the country, the same cannot be said for many state economies, which are still running hot. That, however, doesn’t mean that the good times are guaranteed to last...