Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

ITEP Work in Action

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: 2022 Special Legislative Session: Understanding Impacts of the Tax and Education Bill

September 1, 2022

State surpluses and strong revenue growth are leaving many states with a big opportunity this year. Idaho is no exception and is faced with options to advance policies that directly improve people’s lives in education, health care, housing, child care, transportation, and other budget areas. A 2022 Special Legislative Session bill that reduces taxes and […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: HB 436 Tax Cuts Benefit Wealthy Idahoans

February 7, 2022

The tax cuts proposed in HB 436 would benefit wealthy Idahoans the most. The bill would also collapse the state’s five tax brackets to four, and would lower the income tax rate on the wealthiest tax bracket from 6.5% to 6%. Read more

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Idaho Families Would Benefit From Move to Include More Children in State’s Child Tax Credit

February 7, 2022

From housing to child care, hard-working Idaho families face high costs in our growing state. Since 2018, Idaho’s tax code has supported families through the state Child Tax Credit (CTC). In the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Congress approved a temporary change to expand the definition of “child” to include 17-year-olds in tax year 2021. […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: House Bill 389 and Idaho’s Property Tax Circuit Breaker

May 4, 2021

House Bill 389 is a complicated bill that would affect many different components of the Idaho property tax statute. Revenue from property taxes, both for real property and business personal property, support local public services – such as roads, courts, and schools. Property taxes are regressive, meaning they fall harder on lower-income Idahoans than others. […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Analysis and Considerations Related to House Bill 380

April 26, 2021

The Idaho Legislature is considering a proposal that would reduce the number of income tax brackets from seven to five, cut income and corporate tax rates and provide a one-time tax rebate. HB380 is a revised version of HB332, with one significant change, the elimination of two tax brackets, which serves to make Idaho’s tax […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Analysis and Considerations Related to House Bill 332

March 18, 2021

The Idaho Legislature is considering a proposal that would cut income and corporate tax rates and provide a one-time tax rebate. Under the proposal, the tax benefits from this proposed legislation are heavily lopsided. Taking all provisions into account, households with very modest earnings would receive a $78 average tax cut, and the top 1 […]

Idaho Press: Economic Study Finds That Poor Idahoans Pay More State and Local Taxes Than Rich Ones

November 3, 2018

The biggest drivers of the inequality in Idaho are the sales and property taxes. In every bracket of income measured by the Institute’s report, the amount that families paid in state and excise taxes went down as their total income increased. The lowest-earning 20 percent spent twice as much of their annual income on property taxes as the highest 20 percent, with an average of 3.3 percent paid on their property compared to 1.6 percent.

Idaho Statesman: Poor Idahoans Pay Largest Share of Taxes, Study Finds

October 22, 2018

Low-income Idahoans were hit hardest by property and sales taxes, ITEP reported. The lowest-earning segment spent 3.3 percent of income on property tax and 6 percent of income on sales and excise taxes (the latter are sometimes known as “sin taxes”).

KTVB: Idaho Tax Analysis

October 20, 2018

Study finds lower income Idahoans paying higher tax rates than those with higher incomes.

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Idaho Primary Election Fiscal Policy Guide

May 11, 2018

This guide provides a brief summary of proposed tax changes put forth by the candidates. Estimates of the distributional impact on Idaho taxpayers and state revenue and provided by the Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy.

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Considerations on House Bill 675

March 21, 2018

A proposal before the Legislature seeks to amend the child tax credit that was created through recent legislation passed by both chambers and signed by the Governor. This analysis presents the effect of the revised credit amount proposed in House Bill 675 together with the provisions of House Bill 463 on Idaho families, as enacted. […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Additional Analysis: Impacts of House Bill 463 Including the Pass-Through Deduction (199A) Provision

February 20, 2018

House Bill 463 would make substantial changes to Idaho’s tax code, in part as a response to recent federal tax cuts. The legislation would also cut Idaho’s state income tax rates for households and corporations, changing significantly the way the income tax load is carried by residents. The proposal also includes a nonrefundable state child tax credit, although this does not offset the tax increases for some Idaho families from full conformity.

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Exploring Working Family Tax Credit Options in Idaho

February 16, 2018

Idahoans believe that everyone should pay their fair share. But the passage of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017 raised concerns about potential negative impacts on Idaho families with children. If Idaho chooses to update its tax code to align fully with the federal changes (a policy choice called ‘conformity’), an estimated 66 percent of Idaho families with 1 to 2 dependents will see a state tax increase and 80 percent of Idaho families with 3 or more dependents will see a state tax increase. To mitigate these negative impacts, Idaho lawmakers are considering the creation…

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Analysis of House Bill 463

February 6, 2018

One motivation for reducing taxes this year is to offset the increase in revenue that conformity – aligning our state tax code with recent federal changes – will bring. If Idaho chooses to conform, the state will collect additional revenue in the range of $82 million to $97.4 million. This means that some Idahoans – particularly those with multiple children - will pay more in state taxes.

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: House Bill 67

January 30, 2017

The Idaho Legislature is considering a proposal that would cut top income tax and corporate tax rates. The bill will also eliminate the income tax on the first $750 of taxable household income. This proposal would substantially reduce Idaho’s general fund revenue. Estimates of the impact range from $51 million to $56 million. A majority […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Analysis and Considerations Related to House Bill 380

January 29, 2016

“Idaho households with incomes between $41,000 and $64,000 a year would see a $23 decrease in their tax liability, on average. The top 1% – those with incomes of $444,000 and above – would see an $815 tax cut, on average. The exact tax cut that a household in any range would receive depends upon […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: A Summary of Four Proposals from the Legislature’s Tax Working Group

December 18, 2015

  Idaho has a graduated personal income tax, with rates increasing with household income. This has a balancing effect on the sales and property taxes,which generally cost middle and lower-earning households a larger share of their income. When all state and local taxes are combined, Idaho’s tax distribution is relatively even across the income spectrum, […]

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: A Complex End-of Session Proposal: Notes on House Bill 311

March 27, 2015

A new proposal in the Idaho Legislature would dramatically shift the way taxes are collected and generate a new revenue source for roads and bridges. The proposal has several components which in combination mean that taxpayers across the bottom 80% of the income distribution will pay more, on average.

Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Complex Tax Proposal Would Have Uneven Impacts on Idahoans

February 23, 2015

A new proposal in the Idaho Legislature would dramatically shift the way taxes are collected and generate a new revenue source for our neglected roads and bridges. The proposal has several components which in combination mean that taxpayers across the bottom 95% of the distribution will pay more, on average. The proposal is designed to […]