Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)
2,364 posts

Reuters: Biden Pledge to Tax Wealthy, Companies Revived with Manchin-Led Bill

July 28, 2022

Biden said during a speech on Thursday that the deal would “for the first time in a long time begin to restore fairness to the tax code – begin to restore fairness by making the largest corporations in America pay their fair share without any new taxes on people making under $400,000 a year.” The […]

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ITEP: Reconciliation Deal Represents “Transformational Change” for U.S. Tax Policy

• By Amy Hanauer

Amy Hanauer, Executive Director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, issued the following statement on “The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022,” the reconciliation bill announced yesterday by Senate Democrats.  “This is a transformational change for U.S. tax and energy policy. The bill restores sorely needed and long-overdue accountability to our tax code. By […]

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State Rundown 7/27: It’s (Sales Tax) Holiday Season, But Who’s Really Celebrating?

• By ITEP Staff

It’s the holiday season – well, the sales tax holiday season, that is. But after taking a closer look, you may notice that there is little to celebrate...

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Legislative Momentum in 2022: New and Expanded Child Tax Credits and EITCs

• By Neva Butkus

State legislatures across the country made investments in their future, centering children, families, and workers by enacting and expanding state Earned Income Tax Credits (EITCs), Child Tax Credits (CTCs), and other refundable credits this session. In total, seven states either expanded or created CTCs this session. Connecticut, New Mexico, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont […]

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Most States Used Surpluses to Reduce Taxes But Not in Sustainable or Progressive Ways

• By Kamolika Das

The average person on the street would have no idea that many states experienced unprecedented budget surpluses this year. Iowa, for instance, has the most structurally deficient bridges of any state with nearly 1 in 5 falling apart. The Iowa Board of Regents proposed a 4.25 percent tuition increase for all three state universities and […]

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New ITEP Brief Shows How State Sales Tax Holidays Fail to Live Up to the Hype

• By Marco Guzman

Twenty states this year have decided to go so far as to forgo a combined $1 billion in vital tax revenue in favor of conveniently popular yet ultimately ineffective sales tax holidays. Whether it’s a state looking for a way to help families manage the rising cost of goods or to celebrate back-to-school shopping season, these policy options are poorly targeted and an inadequate use of state tax revenue that could be doing more to…

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

• By Marco Guzman

Lawmakers in many states have enacted “sales tax holidays” (20 states will hold them in 2022) to temporarily suspend the tax on purchases of clothing, school supplies, and other items. These holidays may seem to lessen the regressive impacts of the sales tax, but their benefits are minimal while their downsides are significant—particularly as lawmakers have sought to apply the concept as a substitute for more meaningful, permanent reform or arbitrarily reward people with specific…

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The Tax Legislation Debated in Congress Would Reduce Inflation and Help Americans Deal with Rising Costs

• By Steve Wamhoff

Opposing a fully paid-for spending bill because of inflation concerns does not make any sense. Opposing a deficit-reducing bill because of inflation is absurd.

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ITEP: Tax and Climate Provisions Are What Americans Want and Need

• By Amy Hanauer

In response to conflicting reports on negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia on tax increases and climate provisions, Amy Hanauer, ITEP Executive Director, released the following statement: Sen. Joe Manchin may be uncertain about higher taxes on the rich and corporations, but the American people are not. Large majorities of Americans support the tax […]

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State Rundown 7/13: Let’s Make a Deal

• By ITEP Staff

From the Bay State to the Golden State, lawmakers across the nation are making deals and negotiating budgets with major tax implications...

CNBC: Millions of Calif. families to get ‘inflation relief’ stimulus checks of up to $1,050

July 5, 2022

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic legislative leaders agreed on a $17 billion relief package that includes $9.5 billion in inflation relief funds. Those estimated 23 million California taxpayers will receive between $200 and $1,050 by early next year. California has more flexibility to send these kinds of payments because its budget is one of the […]

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No Reason to Water Down the Tax Reforms in the Build Back Better Act

• By Steve Wamhoff

There is no justification for recently reported efforts to scale back the tax reforms in the Build Back Better Act, a bill passed by the House of Representatives in November that would raise significant revenue and make our tax code more progressive by enacting widely popular proposals. (See ITEP’s report on the BBBA.) Of course, […]

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State Rundown 6/29: Sun’s Out, Session’s (Still) In

• By ITEP Staff

Although the sun is shining and Independence Day is right around the corner, many state lawmakers are still indoors hammering out the details of future budgets or still hard at work passing laws...

State Policy Associate or Policy Analyst (Research Team)

• By ITEP Staff

Read as PDF The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) is a non-profit research organization that analyzes tax laws and tax proposals at the federal, state and local levels. ITEP’s work demonstrates the need to raise more revenue from corporations and the wealthy. Our small, influential staff works with policymakers and front-line partners to research, support, and develop tax policies that address […]

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State Rundown 6/22: Southern States Edition

• By ITEP Staff

With many state legislative sessions wrapped or wrapping up, we at ITEP want to take a moment to direct your attention south, and specifically, to the American South...

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New ITEP Report Examines the Path to Equitable Tax Policy in the South

• By Kamolika Das

“From the inception of the emerging American nation, the South is a central battleground in the struggles for freedom, justice, and equality. It is the location of the most intense repression, exploitation, and reaction directed toward Africans Americans, as well as Native Americans and working people generally. At the same time the South is the […]

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Creating Racially and Economically Equitable Tax Policy in the South

• By Kamolika Das

The South's negative outcomes on measures of wellbeing are the result of a century and a half of policy choices. Lawmakers have many options available to make concrete improvements to tax policy that would raise more revenue, do so equitably, and generate resources that could improve schools, healthcare, social services, infrastructure, and other public resources.

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State Rundown 6/15: States on Alert as Inflation Concerns Rise

• By ITEP Staff

With inflation dominating headlines both nationally and locally, state lawmakers around the U.S. are searching for ways to put their revenues to good use, and not surprisingly, some options are better than others...

Bloomberg Tax: Flat Income Tax Revival Draws Sharply Mixed Reviews (Podcast)

June 14, 2022

With cash cushions plump with federal pandemic relief dollars and a surge in tax revenues, state legislatures across the country have cut taxes aggressively this year. But several states went further, converting their tiered income tax structures to flat-rate systems. Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, and Mississippi have committed to the flat tax in recent weeks, and […]

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Rising Prices: Another Reason to Be Wary of Tax Cutting Right Now

• By Carl Davis

Many state lawmakers see any economic challenge as an excuse to cut taxes and in 2022, some are citing inflation as a reason to do so. All eyes today are on the inflation rate facing consumers which, spurred on in part by rising corporate profits, is now running at its fastest pace in decades. But […]

State Policy Associate or Policy Analyst (Policy Team)

• By ITEP Staff

Read as PDF The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) is a non-profit research organization that analyzes tax laws and tax proposals at the federal, state and local levels. ITEP’s work demonstrates the need to raise more revenue from corporations and wealthy individuals. Our small, influential staff works with policymakers and front-line partners to research, support, and develop tax policies that address […]

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State Rundown 6/8: Tax Policy Features Prominently During Budget and Primary Season

• By ITEP Staff

As voters head to the polls to weigh in on their state’s primary elections and legislators convene to hash out budget deals, tax policy remains atop the agenda...

Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: New Tax Plan Risks State’s Long-Term Fiscal Health, Worsens Income and Racial Inequities

• By ITEP Staff

House Bill 1437, signed into law by Gov. Kemp after a final version emerged during the last hours of Sine Die 2022, sets Georgia on course to make fundamental changes to its income tax that primarily benefit the state’s highest earners at an annual cost greater than $2 billion when fully implemented. Beyond adding to […]

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State Rundown 5/25: Tax Discussions Heating Up as Summer Begins

• By ITEP Staff

While the temperature ticks up outside, the temperature in state legislatures around the country has fallen slightly. But with several states still dealing with ongoing tax and budget issues, this summer could be a hot one...

Arizona Center for Economic Progress: $2 Billion Tax Cuts for the Rich are Irresponsible

• By ITEP Staff

Last year, the legislature passed huge tax cuts whose benefits will only be seen by the richest Arizonans. Once these new tax cuts go into effect, they will reduce state revenues by an estimated $2 billion a year. The state approved a flat tax that will not result in a meaningful tax cut for most […]