Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

ITEP's Research Priorities

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: GOP lawmakers may hike school funding, expand vouchers

May 30, 2013

  By Patrick Marley and Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel May 30, 2013 3:31 p.m. Madison — Republicans who control the Legislature are working on a deal that would increase funding for public schools and extend a school voucher program statewide, but in a way that is far more limited than what GOP Gov. […]

Hays Daily News: Costly session

May 30, 2013

(Original Post) 5/29/2013    With conservative super-majorities in place on both sides of the Kansas Statehouse, Gov. Sam Brownback had to have been expecting a relatively cooperative and short session this year. Rubberstamp a few more tax cuts for those who didn’t need them, a few more reductions in services for those who do need […]

Workday Minnesota: Education funding, tax reform highlight gains made in 2013 session, unions say

May 24, 2013

(Original Post) By Michael Moore, Union Advocate editor23 May 2013ST. PAUL – Minnesota’s working families will see the most obvious fruits of the 2013 legislative session in their public schools and property-tax bills, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of investments, reforms and initiatives passed by labor-endorsed majorities in the Legislature this year, […]

Lawrence World Journal: GOP tax plans would increase taxes on low-wage Kansans, decrease taxes for high-income Kansans, report says

May 23, 2013

(Original Post) Posted by Scott Rothschild May 23, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. Topeka — Taxes will increase for low-wage Kansans and decrease for those with higher incomes under plans being considered by Republican state legislators, according to a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy looked at the various proposals before […]

Reno News & Review: It happens

May 23, 2013

(Original Post) By Dennis [email protected] This article was published on 05.23.13. Nevada has a crappy tax system. Here’s why. It was sweltering. Januaries in Carson City are cold, of course, but the Nevada Assembly hall was jammed with bodies and television lights. Even on a weekday evening people traveled to the capitol for these occasions. […]

The Huffington Post: One Tax Loophole Apple’s Tim Cook And Lawmakers Didn’t Talk About

May 21, 2013

(Original Post) The Huffington Post  |  By Jillian Berman    Posted: 05/21/2013 3:30 pm EDT When Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared before a panel of Senators Tuesday, much of the questioning centered around why so much of the company’s money sits untaxed overseas. Cook defended the practice, saying his company doesn’t “depend on gimmicks” to lower […]

The Progressive Pulse: ‘Modest’ or ‘Bold,’ Nebraska Tax Cuts Could Not Be Sold

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) This is an additional contribution to the blog series that presents voices from other states that have unsuccessfully pursued comprehensive tax reform. (See Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) Commentary provided by Renee Fry, Executive Director of the OpenSky Policy Institute in Lincoln, NE. Nebraska’s 2013 legislative session kicked off with Gov. […]

The Progressive Pulse: Blowhard lobbyist for corporations and the rich in town to promote tax increases on average North Carolinians

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) Post on May 16, 2013 by Rob Schofield How low have things sunk in the Raleigh policy debate? This low: A front group for corporations and greedy billionaires is bringing a has-been Washington lobbyist to town to promote higher taxes on poor and middle class North Carolinians and some are calling it a […]

Campus Progress: Here’s One Way to End Poverty

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 in Opinions by Chris Lewis There’s been a lot of hand-wringing lately about bloating, excess, and abuse of government assistance programs like disability insurance and food stamps. For taxpayers anxious about whether public assistance dollars are well spent, there’s a lot to keep track of: SSI, SSDI, Social […]

International Digital Times: Tommy Chong Cancer Goes Up In Smoke; Veteran Funnyman Says Weed Saved His Life And Could Save America, Too

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) Now that Tommy Chong’s cancer has been cured, the Grammy Award-winning comedian is setting his sights on another challenge: saving America. In a recent interview with CBS News, Chong talked about how legalizing marijuana could solve the country’s fiscal problems. “Look at the situation we’re in now. Sequesters. Cuts. Everything cut across the […]

New America Media: Data Reveals Immigrants’ Financial Contribution to States

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) Asian Journal, News Report, Posted: May 16, 2013 LOS ANGELES – In California, Asian and Hispanic immigrants pay nearly $30 billion in federal taxes, $5.2 billion in state income taxes, and $4.6 billion in sales taxes each year. In New York, immigrants are responsible for $229 billion in economic output in the state. […]

San Antonio Express: Internet racket: Nat’l providers reap obscene profits

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) By Timothy Karr, Guest CommentaryPublished 1:22 pm, Wednesday, May 15, 2013 Is your Internet bill too high? You can thank the phone and cable companies for that. Today, high-speed broadband services offered by these national carriers cost more than $500 a year and even more when customers are forced to bundle Internet access […]

Boston Globe: Big seller Boston Beer asks for small-brewer tax break

May 17, 2013

(Original Post) By Noah Bierman|  Globe Staff   May 13, 2013 WASHINGTON — It’s early to be drinking, but just after 10:30 a.m. on a weekday, Jim Koch, the founder of Samuel Adams beer, pops open a bottle of lager and regales his audience with stories. It’s no barroom banter. Koch is standing behind a […]

Pryor Creek Times: Income tax reduction done deal

May 16, 2013

(Original Post) The plan to reduce Oklahoma’s income tax from 5.25 percent to 5.00 beginning in 2015 is a done deal. We know it means losing $200 million from state revenues that could have gone to hire more teachers and properly fund public safety so that we have enough troopers on the road and ensure […]

The Morning Sentinel: Bipartisan plan to overhaul state income taxes unveiled today

May 10, 2013

(Original Post) By Steve Mistler [email protected] House Bureau AUGUSTA — A Maine family of four earning $50,000 a year would save about $647 on its state income taxes under a sweeping tax reform proposal to be aired in a public hearing today before the Legislature’s Taxation Committee. However, that same family also would pay hundreds […]

Alabama 13: Taxing the Dinner Table

May 10, 2013

Posted: May 09, 2013 6:25 PM EDT Updated: May 09, 2013 11:10 PM EDT By Jon Paepcke BIRMINGHAM, AL – With every bar code swipe, the numbers add up in Alabama. Did you know that for every dollar you spend on groceries four cents goes to the state? It’s true. Did you also know we […]

Go Local Prov: Rhode Islanders Speak In Favor of Raising Income Tax

May 8, 2013

(Original Post) Wednesday, May 08, 2013 GoLocalProv Politics Team An assemblage of Rhode Islanders, including labor leaders, municipal leaders, wealthy Rhode Islanders, Providence public school students, small business owners, economists and others, testified today in support of bill H-5751, sponsored by Representative Maria Cimini, that will increase the income tax rate from 5.99% to 7.99% […]

WFAE: N.C. GOP Leaders Unveil Plan To Cut, Expand Taxes

May 8, 2013

(Original Post) 5:13 pm, Tue May 7, 2013 By Michael Tomsic     “The largest tax cut in North Carolina history.” That’s how Republican state senate leaders describe the tax plan they unveiled Tuesday. But that plan also expands the sales tax to many more services. Senate leader Phil Berger said the GOP plan will cut […]

Progress Illinois: Online Retailers May Soon Lose ‘Unfair Advantage’ As Marketplace Fairness Act Heads To House, Proponents Say

May 8, 2013

(Original Post) Ashlee Rezin Wednesday May 8th, 2013, 1:11pm The U.S. Senate voted to approve the Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill that would require online retailers to comply with sales tax laws of states where they sell and ship goods. According to proponents of the measure, Internet shoppers are one step closer to losing the […]

Governing: Senate Passes Online Sales Tax Bill; House to Decide Its Fate

May 7, 2013

(Original Post) Posted By Ryan Holeywell | May 7, 2013 The U.S. Senate passed the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA) 69 to 27 Monday night, marking a historic victory for state and local leaders who have long advocated for Congress to give them the ability to collect sales taxes from online purchases. The vote was the […]

USA Today: Consumers, advocacy groups largely silent on sales tax

May 7, 2013

(Original Post) Jayne O’Donnell USA TODAY9:30 p.m. EDT May 6, 2013 Shoppers may flock to free shipping offers, but the online sales tax debate hasn’t interested consumers nearly as much. Maybe it should. Sales taxes, after all, can cost as much or more than shipping — at times about 7% to 8% of a product […]

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Some lawmakers say they may kill Georgia’s income tax next year, but there would be a cost

May 6, 2013

(Original Post) published Sunday, May 5th, 2013 by Tim Omarzu A group of Republican lawmakers in Atlanta wants to do away with Georgia’s 6 percent income tax and replace it — mainly by increasing taxes on sales and services. State Rep. Tom Kirby, R-Loganville, set the stage for what could be a sweeping change to […]

The American Prospect: You’ve Got Sales Tax

May 6, 2013

(Original Post) Jeff Saginor May 6, 2013 The Marketplace Fairness Act, which would finally require online retailers to charge sales tax, is hitting the Senate floor this week. In 1984, CompuServe launched the first “Electronic Mall,” a Pleistocene-era Amazon with which owners of a TRS-80 personal computer could browse and buy goods over the Internet. […]

Winston-Salem Journal: Lights, camera … and a $69 million N.C. rebate to movie industry

May 2, 2013

(Original Post) Posted: Thursday, May 2, 2013 8:13 am J. Andrew Curliss/News & Observer State leaders blamed each other in October 2011 after Continental Tire chose South Carolina for a large new factory that will employ 1,600 workers. The biggest hang-up, according to documents and state officials, was $45 million in taxpayer money the tire […]

The Star-Ledger: Putting up a fight with the internet racket

May 2, 2013

(Original Post) By Star-Ledger Guest Columniston May 02, 2013 at 7:16 AM By Timothy Karr Is your internet bill too high? You can thank the phone and cable companies for that. Today, high-speed broadband services offered by these national carriers cost more than $500 a year and even more when customers are forced to bundle […]