ITEP Work in Action
Advocates and policymakers at the state and federal levels rely on ITEP’s analytic capabilities to inform their debates on proposed tax policy changes. In any given year, ITEP fields requests for analyses of policies in 25 or more states. ITEP also works with national partners to provide analyses of federal tax policy proposals. This section highlights reports that use ITEP analyses to make a compelling case for progressive tax reforms.
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ITEP Work in Action May 17, 2023 Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center: What’s Race Got to Do With It? Some Tax Proposals Would Widen Racial Inequality, Others Would Advance Equity
Lawmakers have proposed a variety of tax cuts, some of which would provide outsize benefits to the most affluent households and widen existing racial and economic disparities. Other proposed tax… -
ITEP Work in Action March 21, 2023 Massachussets Budget & Policy Center: Taking Measure of the Governor’s Tax Plan
Governor Healey’s tax relief proposal would reduce state revenue available for future investments by $986 million annually. Three proposed tax credits would be progressive, meaning the benefits for lower-income households would… -
ITEP Work in Action May 17, 2021 Massachusetts Budget & Policy Center: Ending the Tax Penalty Against Working Immigrants: MA Should Follow Other States Extending EITC to Immigrant Tax Filers
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a key program for reducing poverty in the United States. Together with the federal Child Tax Credit, these low-income federal credits lifted 7.5… -
ITEP Work in Action August 10, 2020 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Supporting Racial Equity and a Robust Recovery with a Corporate Income Tax Rate Increase
By returning the state corporate income tax to pre2010 rates, the Commonwealth could raise $375 million to $500 million a year to help fund a racially equitable, economically just, and… -
ITEP Work in Action January 31, 2020 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: The Gas Tax: What it is and Who Pays
Data from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) detail how the current system of state and local taxes in Massachusetts is regressive, largely because the state uses a… -
ITEP Work in Action July 16, 2019 CommonWealth: Before the T Derailed, its Funding Got on the Wrong Track
Overall, funding for the Commonwealth during the last two decades has relied increasingly on sales taxes and regressive user fees, while cutting income tax rates. As a result, we have… -
ITEP Work in Action February 11, 2019 MassBudget: Why Highest Incomes in Massachusetts Receive Most Tax Benefits from Charitable Deduction
Our Commonwealth does best when all people experience rising prosperity. But for several decades, the wealth and income of the top 1 percent of households has grown briskly while others… -
ITEP Work in Action January 14, 2019 MassBudget: 14 Options for Raising Progressive Revenue
People in Massachusetts seek to live in communities that provide a high quality of life for their family and neighbors. We value good schools, police and fire protection, libraries and… -
ITEP Work in Action October 25, 2018 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Who Pays? Low and Middle Earners in Massachusetts Pay Larger Share of their Incomes in Taxes
Taxes are the main way communities pay for the things we do together. Taxes pay for essential programs and infrastructure we take for granted, like fire protection, public education, and health inspectors; roads, bridges, and public transit; and the support for people facing hard times. Examining how much people at different income levels pay in taxes is important when considering the fairness of tax policy.
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ITEP Work in Action January 22, 2018 MassBudget: What Does the Federal Tax Law Mean for Massachusetts and How Might the Commonwealth Respond?
The tax cuts are also skewed toward high-income tax filers when measured as a portion of their own incomes.
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ITEP Work in Action January 11, 2018 MassBudget: Sweeter than SALT: Highest-Income Households Get Federal Tax Cuts More Than Twice SALT Losses
For Massachusetts’ highest-income households – those with annual incomes over $1 million – the average tax cuts from other federal changes in the law are more than twice the average size of the impact from the loss of SALT deductibility.
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ITEP Work in Action April 27, 2017 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: The Evidence on Millionaire Migration and Taxes
Economists consistently find that a well-educated workforce and a high-quality transportation system are among the bedrock elements upon which a prosperous state economy is built. Providing everyone with access to the education and training they need to reach their full potential boosts the productivity of individual workers and strengthens the overall economy.
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ITEP Work in Action December 23, 2015 Massachusets Budget and Policy Center: Funding Improvements for Schools, Roads, and Public Transit with Tax Reforms that Improve Fairness
Our economic growth is not translating into significant economic progress for most of our people and this directly harms working families. The lack of more broadly shared economic progress also has harmed our state’s ability to make important investments that can make life better for working people.
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ITEP Work in Action October 21, 2015 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Examining Tax Fairness
Taxes are the primary way we pay for the things that we do together through government. These include things like police and fire protection; public education; roads, bridges and public… -
ITEP Work in Action October 21, 2015 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Licenses for Immigrant Drivers in Massachusetts
Immigrants make important contributions to the Massachusetts economy. They spend income as consumers and contribute to state and local taxes.Yet, they often face barriers to full inclusion and economic stability.… -
ITEP Work in Action September 14, 2015 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Funding Improvements for Schools, Roads, and Public Transit with Tax Reforms that Improve Fairness
We can expand opportunity for our people and strengthen our economy by making smart investments to improve our schools; make our colleges and universities affordable; and build a transportation system… -
ITEP Work in Action December 4, 2014 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Automatic Income Tax Rate Cuts – Frequently Asked Questions
A thriving state economy – one that delivers broadly shared prosperity to workers, families and businesses – depends on key public investments in schools and colleges, subways and highways, public… -
ITEP Work in Action March 7, 2014 Massachusetts Tax Fairness Commission: Report
The Tax Fairness Commission was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2013 as part of the Act Relative to Transportation Finance. The Commission was charged with analyzing a broad array… -
ITEP Work in Action September 24, 2013 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: After the Tech Tax Repeal- Remembering the Big Picture
The FY 2014 budget included new investments in our transportation system, in education, and in other areas. Part of the funding for these came from a “tech tax,” which is… -
ITEP Work in Action March 12, 2013 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Effects of Raising Rates and Exemptions on the State Income Tax
This Facts At A Glance updates MassBudget’s analysis of a reform option that would make changes to the way the Commonwealth taxes wage and salary income as well as investment… -
ITEP Work in Action March 12, 2013 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Examining Tax Fairness
Taxes are the primary way we pay for the things that we do together through government. These include things like police and fire protection; public education; roads, bridges and public… -
ITEP Work in Action March 12, 2013 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Possible Reforms to the Governor’s Tax Plan
In his FY 2014 budget, the Governor proposes making significant new investments in education and transportation, as well as limiting cuts to other program areas. He proposes paying for these… -
ITEP Work in Action January 14, 2013 Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center: Facts At A Glance – The Income Tax: Another Reform Option
Previous MassBudget fact sheets have examined the Massachusetts personal income tax and a number of reform options (see “Facts At A Glance: The Income Tax”, available at http://www.massbudget.org/768). This Facts… -
ITEP Work in Action January 14, 2013 Campaign for Our Communities: Support Public Education and Other Vital Services!
“We need to invest in our communities and keep middle-class families working and earning! An Act to Invest in Our Communities – HB 2553 / SB 1416 – does just…