Blog - State Policy
632 posts
From Congressional discussions over the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" to debates on property taxes, ITEP kept busy this year analyzing tax proposals and showing Americans across the country how tax decisions affect them.
States Can Create or Expand Refundable Credits by Taxing Wealth, Addressing Federal Conformity
December 19, 2025 • By Zachary Sarver
Many states already recognize the potential of these credits to boost low- and moderate-income households. Other states should follow suit.
Texas Property Tax Plan Mimics California’s Damaging Prop 13
December 19, 2025 • By Neva Butkus, Rita Jefferson
This proposal would disrupt the state’s housing market and jeopardize local revenues while doing very little to help workers and families struggling to pay their property tax bills – just as Prop 13 did in California.
State Rundown 12/17: Tax Policy ‘Naughty or Nice’ List Has Late Entrants
December 17, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
With a little over a week left, some states are solidifying their spots on the tax policy “naughty or nice” list.
No, Scott Bessent: States Aren’t Taking Away Anyone’s Tax Cuts
December 11, 2025 • By Nick Johnson
It’s wildly inappropriate for a U.S. Treasury Secretary to lean on states to adopt or not adopt specific federal provisions in their own state tax codes.
property tax debates are taking place throughout the nation.
States are increasingly facing difficult choices as revenues stagnate and deficits come clearer into focus.
Conforming to the ‘No Tax on Tips’ Gimmick Just Got Riskier and Costlier for States
November 25, 2025 • By Nick Johnson
An unknown number of workers who previously were assumed to be ineligible for the tax break may nonetheless claim it.
State Rundown 11/24: States Say ‘No Thank You’ to Federal Tax Cuts Reducing State Revenue
November 24, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
Lawmakers in two more states have wisely said “no thank you” to federal tax cuts that would have flowed through to their state tax codes and undermined funding for their priorities
State governments are rushing to offer billions of dollars in subsidies to data center construction, apparently without understanding their full costs.
State Rundown 11/13: States Tackle Impending Deficits, Pennsylvania Secures an EITC
November 13, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
Revenue forecasts look increasingly grim as states anticipate shortfalls due to the slowing economy and impacts of the new federal tax law.
State and Local Policymakers Can Resist Austerity Even Amid Historic Federal Retreat
November 6, 2025 • By Kamolika Das
The progressivity of the federal tax code has been waning. State and local policymakers should respond by protecting their revenue bases, promoting equity, and safeguarding vulnerable communities from harmful budget cuts.
In 2025, Voters Said Yes to Public Resources and Community Investments
November 6, 2025 • By Rita Jefferson
Important tax measures were on the ballot this week, and the outcomes are clear: many voters support new state and local spending to support critical services in their communities.
States Begin Decoupling from Flawed ‘QSBS’ Tax Break
November 6, 2025 • By Nick Johnson, Sarah Austin
A costly tax break for wealthy venture capitalists is drawing some critical attention from state policymakers.
Despite being an off-year election, voters made a call for shared public investments at the polls.
States across the nation are debating how best to respond to costly new federal tax cuts.
Why States Shouldn’t Go Along With OBBBA’s Corporate Tax Breaks: A Practical Guide
October 27, 2025 • By Nick Johnson, Michael Mazerov
States should immediately decouple from four costly corporate tax provisions in the new federal tax law.
State Rundown 10/1: State and Local Governments Doing the Opposite of Shutting Down
October 1, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
State and local officials are staying very busy by considering a dizzying amount of reversals.
State Rundown 9/18: Lawmakers Confront Revenue Loss from Federal Policy Changes
September 18, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
Some states are trying to avoid revenue loss while others are welcoming it and doubling down.
Child Poverty Remains Unacceptably High, New Federal Changes Unlikely to Move Needle
September 16, 2025 • By Neva Butkus
By not extending the 2021 temporary Child Tax Credit expansion, federal lawmakers have allowed the number of children and families in poverty to increase and remain unnecessarily high.
Making the Wealthy Pay their Fair Share is the Way to Preserve Vacation Towns
September 10, 2025 • By Rita Jefferson
Rhode Island lawmakers created a new surcharge on second homes worth more than $1 million as part of the budget enacted this spring.
State Rundown 9/4: Colorado Tackles Offshore Corporate Tax Avoidance, Paves Way for State Conformity Best Practices
September 4, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
Despite an increasingly bleak state revenue outlook, state lawmakers across the country continue to prioritize regressive tax cuts.
Colorado Lawmakers Help Fill Trump-Induced Shortfall by Tackling Offshore Corporate Tax Avoidance
August 26, 2025 • By Matthew Gardner, Marco Guzman
As the Trump megabill blows holes in state budgets, Colorado is leading with reforms to curb offshore tax avoidance and roll back wasteful corporate subsidies.
SALT in the Wound: New Tax Law’s Limit on State Tax Deductions Exempts Some of the Very Wealthiest
August 21, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
The new tax law enacted last month found a temporary compromise on the level of the cap, boosting it to $40,000 through 2029, but failed to fix a loophole that allows some rich taxpayers with good accountants to completely avoid the cap
State Rundown 8/20: States to Face Serious Conformity, Revenue Issues as Summer Ends
August 20, 2025 • By ITEP Staff
While tax news has slowed as summer comes to an end, there are rumblings beneath the surface that could be an inauspicious sign of the times ahead for states and state budgets.
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