Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

ITEP's Research Priorities

Seattle Times: Under the microscope

April 18, 2014

By Mike Lindblom While most big transit agencies in the U.S. slashed service during the recession, King County Metro Transit managed to hang on. Managers shifted a $100 million surplus from a fleet-replacement fund to keep existing buses rolling. And the agency made painful choices — raising fares, while cutting some low-use routes to cram […]

Idaho Statesman: Tax breaks to lure business do little to spur Idaho’s growth

April 17, 2014

(Original Post) BY PETER R. CRABB Professor of finance and economics at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa April 16, 2014 Earlier this month, Idaho Gov. Butch Otter signed a new state law that will refund up to 30 percent of state corporate income taxes, payroll taxes and sales taxes for any business that creates 50 […]

Associated Press: Missouri lawmakers pass tax cut; veto possible

April 17, 2014

(Original Post) Thursday, April 17, 2014 By DAVID A. LIEB ~ The Associated Press JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Setting up a likely veto showdown, the Republican-led Missouri Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to an income-tax cut for millions of individuals and thousands of business owners that Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon warned could imperil funding for […]

Media Post: Interpublic Group Paid No Income Tax For Five Years

April 17, 2014

(Original Post) Well here’s an interesting tidbit. Fast Company has published a report from Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy which took a look at Fortune 500 companies and whether or not they paid federal corporate tax in the last five years. Of the 500, 111 paid no taxes […]

Immigration Impact: Undocumented Immigrants Contribute Billions in Taxes

April 16, 2014

(Original Post) Written by Amy Grenier Death and taxes, according to Benjamin Franklin, are the only things in life that are certain. And despite the prevailing myth perpetrated by nativist groups, there are plenty of undocumented immigrants facing the certainty of taxes on April 15. They pay billions in state and local taxes every year […]

The Transylvania Times: No True Tax Reform

April 16, 2014

(Original Post) Within the past few days, thousands of North Carolinians have been scurrying to complete and file their state and federal income tax returns. As always, there is a call for a simpler and more equitable tax code. As usual, very little is done to make taxes simpler or achieve a more equitable system. […]

The Seattle Times: Under the microscope – Metro’s big transit vote

April 16, 2014

In the April 22 mail ballot, King County voters are being asked to increase their sales taxes and their car tabs to fund Metro Transit and fix roads. As the campaign enters its last week, here’s an assessment of some arguments being made on both sides. By Mike Lindblom Seattle Times transportation reporter While most […]

AM New York: Tax day – NY-based corporates that pay the least taxes

April 16, 2014

(Original Post) By AMNY.COM April 15, 2014 Paying taxes can be a painful experience. But that pain is not necessarily felt by some corporations that pay little to no taxes due to loopholes (and plenty of high-price consulting help). In fact, 26 Fortune 500 corporations reported negative taxes due to rebates. The nonprofits Citizens for […]

Fast Company: The Long, Sad List Of Successful Corporations That Somehow Don’t Pay Any Taxes

April 16, 2014

(Original Post) You might want to turn yourself into a corporation after reading this new report that looks at the surprising number of companies that pay no taxes at all. Tax day came and went this week, resulting in a collective moan about writing a check to Uncle Sam. Want to minimize your tax burden […]

Chicago Now: Pope Francis and a moral argument for immigration reform

April 14, 2014

(Original Post) By Teresa Puente, Sunday at 8:38 pm President Obama has failed to persuade the Republican controlled U.S. House of Representatives to pass immigration reform, but if anybody can make a moral argument it is Pope Francis. These two men who broke barriers, the first Latin American pope and the first African- American president, […]

The Courier-Journal: Pass tax reform for 21st century Kentucky

April 11, 2014

(Original post) Col Owens, April 11, 2014 The General Assembly has just passed another inadequate state budget. And once again, it has failed to give Kentucky a tax system that will allow it to compete in the 21st century economy. As a legal aid attorney and education advocate for 35 years, I’ve long witnessed firsthand […]

The Chicago Tribune: Four reasons why Mayor Emmanuel shouldn’t reject a city tax

April 11, 2014

(Original post) By Eric Zorn, April 11, 2014 I reject … the idea of a city income tax. I think that’s not the right way to go… Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, responding Wednesday to questions about how the city will shore up its sagging pension funds I reject the idea, too, just as I reject […]

Springfield News-Sun: Benefits of tax proposal plan debated

April 11, 2014

Information from the Institute on Taxation and Economic policy showed the top 1 percent of Ohio taxpayers would receive about $2,847 in tax cuts, but Schiller said residents making between $34,000 and $54,000 a year would only see a tax break of about $13.

Life of the Law Podcast: Episode 31 – People and Their Taxes

April 9, 2014

(Original Post) Written by Alisa Roth & LOTL Staff on Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 Clara Orozco got her first job, waiting tables, three days after she arrived in New York from Mexico. Since then, she’s worked as a cashier at McDonald’s, painted nails, and cleaned houses. And every year, whether she’s been paid by cash […]

The Tennessean: Hall tax cut gets new push

April 8, 2014

(Original Post) 5:07 p.m. CDT April 7, 2014 Tennessee lawmakers are seriously considering a new proposal to roll back the state’s tax on investments, even as they wrestle with a growing hole in the state budget. More than 90 legislators have signed onto a pledge from a prominent anti-tax organization to support a measure that […]

Cincinnati Enquirer: Kentucky’s new budget inadequate for 21st century

April 7, 2014

(Original Post) CIN 12:31 a.m. EDT April 6, 2014 The Kentucky General Assembly has just passed another inadequate state budget. And once again, it has failed to give Kentucky a tax system that will allow it to compete in the 21st-century economy. As a legal aid attorney and education advocate for 35 years, I’ve long […]

MetroWest Daily News: Ballot question could halt tax

April 7, 2014

(Original Post) By Brian Benson Daily News Staff Posted Apr. 5, 2014 @ 11:46 pm A measure lawmakers approved last year to index the gas tax to inflation is prompting debate amid an effort to repeal the provision. Lawmakers last year increased the gas tax from 21 cents per gallon to 24 cents per gallon […]

Wall Street Journal: States Raise Gas Taxes to Pay for Infrastructure

April 7, 2014

(Original Post) As Congress Only Takes Short-Term Steps, Governors Seek More Funds for Roads By JOSH MITCHELL Updated April 4, 2014 7:32 p.m. ET GEORGETOWN, Del.—States and cities desperate to build and repair roads and other infrastructure—but frustrated by inertia in Congress—are raising their own levies and turning to private companies for funding. Six states […]

KY Forward: Kentucky needs to take its future in its own hands and make tax system fairer

April 4, 2014

Thursday, April 3, 2014 The General Assembly has just passed another inadequate state budget. And once again, it has failed to give Kentucky a tax system that will allow it to compete in the 21st-century economy. As a legal aid attorney and education advocate for 35 years, I’ve long witnessed firsthand how our state budget […]

Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier: Gas tax

April 2, 2014

(Original Post) A new fact sheet from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy indicates Iowa is one of seven states where the gas tax rates are “stuck in neutral.” According to the institute’s analysis, 21 states have gone a decade or more without increasing their gas tax rates and 16 states have gone two […]

Globe Gazette: Iowa’s Among Gas Tax Rates Stuck in Neutral

April 2, 2014

(Original Post) A new fact sheet from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy indicates Iowa is one of seven states where the gas tax rates are “stuck in neutral.” According to the institute’s analysis, 21 states have gone a decade or more without increasing their gas tax rates and 16 states have gone two […]

Politico: Morning Transportation 04/02/2014

April 2, 2014

(Original Post) When each state last raised its gas tax (in chart form), via the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy: http://bit.ly/1hg0cA7

Public News Service: Many Big Corporations Paying No State Taxes

March 28, 2014

(Original Post) March 27, 2014 CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Many huge, profitable corporations pay no state taxes, according to a new report from Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy. The report looks at 300 Fortune 500 companies that made a profit every year from 2008 to 2012 and found at […]

The Washington Post: New report slams Kansas tax cuts

March 28, 2014

(Original Post)  BY NIRAJ CHOKSHI March 27 at 3:22 pm In 2012, Kansas enacted one of the largest tax cuts of any state ever, and the short-term results aren’t promising, a new report finds. “Kansas is a cautionary tale, not a model,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities researchers Michael Leachman and Chris Mai write […]

The Intelligencer: Total Republican control produces Harrisburg scam

March 27, 2014

(Original Post) Posted: Thursday, March 27, 2014 12:15 am By Joe Frederick The Republicans have been in complete control of Harrisburg since 2011. The governor is a Republican, and both the state House and the state Senate have Republican majorities (and there are no filibusters in the Pennsylvania Constitution). So what have they done with […]