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 March 19, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Passing through a special break
The tax bill that recently passed the Iowa Senate included a provision from the recent federal tax cut bill that provides preferential tax treatment for certain kinds of business income… -
ITEP Work in Action March 16, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Governor’s Plan Sets Stage For Service Cuts
Iowa’s General Assembly opened with promises from legislative leadership and the Governor for tax reform. We noted key opportunities to assure a fairer and sustainable system in a brief report last fall, “Introduction to 2018: What should be part of tax reform? And what should not?”[i] These options remain; some are gaining attention — such as the elimination of federal deductibility and the closing of sales tax loopholes — and some are not.
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ITEP Work in Action March 16, 2018 E.I.T.C. Spells LOVE for Kids and Families in Arkansas
Many people in our state work at low-paying jobs. Arkansans who work hard for little money pay a much higher share of their income to state and local taxes compared to the wealthiest. That’s not the way it should be. Fortunately, there is a great option for Arkansas (just ask the 29 other states that are already using it!) that can help turn things around for working families. That option is a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (or EITC). At Arkansas Advocates for Children and families, we are so in love with the Earned Income Tax Credit that we decided to sing about it.
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ITEP Work in Action March 15, 2018 Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Lawmakers Approve Major Tax Plan, Still Reviewing Several Tax Breaks
A range of tax bills are still in the pipeline at the General Assembly after lawmakers already approved a sweeping package of income tax cuts. Georgia’s 2018 General Assembly advanced… -
ITEP Work in Action March 14, 2018 New Jersey Policy Perspective: Op-Ed: Tax Law Requires More Than ‘SALT Cap’ Workarounds
If you live in a high-wealth and high-tax state like New Jersey, the news gets worse. For the first time in 100 years, taxpayers may no longer deduct their full state and local taxes (“SALT” for short) from the income on which federal taxes are owed. The deductible ceiling is set at $10,000, so if you pay more than that with property and income taxes combined, your taxable income will increase by a bit.
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ITEP Work in Action March 9, 2018 Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: All Georgians Stand to Lose from Immigrant Crackdown Measure
And Georgia immigrants contribute significant state and local tax revenue, including $352 million a year by undocumented immigrants as a whole and $66 million by Dreamers in particular. Read more… -
ITEP Work in Action March 9, 2018 Maine Center for Economic Policy Policy Brief: The LePage Tax Bill
On March 1, Gov. Paul LePage’s Administration presented a tax bill to the Legislature designed to mirror at the state level some of the reforms enacted by passage of the… -
ITEP Work in Action March 7, 2018 Iowa Fiscal Partnership: Governor’s Tax Cut Plan Sets Stage For Service Cuts
Governor Kim Reynolds’ tax proposal trades massive cuts in public services for small savings for lower-income taxpayers, larger savings for high-income taxpayers and few meaningful strides toward fairness in a system that already treats the poor poorly and raises too little revenue to avoid mid-year cuts.
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ITEP Work in Action March 7, 2018 Economic Progress Institute: Changes in Federal Tax Law Will Cut Taxes for Many Rhode Islanders; Wealthiest Families and Corporations Benefit the Most
To help explain what the Act will mean for Rhode Island, the Economic Progress Institute released a paper entitled “Changes in federal tax law will cut taxes for many Rhode Islanders; wealthiest families and corporations benefit the most.”
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ITEP Work in Action March 5, 2018 Louisiana Budget Project: On the Brink of Collapse
The backbiting and bitterness surrounding the revenue debate in Baton Rouge is wildly disproportionate to the effect on Louisiana families. As The Advocate’s Tyler Bridges reports, none of the tax bills would cost any Louisiana family more than 1 percent of their income per year. What’s really at stake in the tax debate – besides trying to fill a $1 billion hole in the budget – is whether to continue relying on a regressive sales tax, or if the burden should be shifted slightly to high-income taxpayers.
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ITEP Work in Action February 28, 2018 Missouri Budget Project: Sales Taxes on Groceries & the Importance of a Refundable EITC
A state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), like the recently proposed Missouri Working Families Credit, could benefit as many as 515,000 working families with modest wages, providing hardworking families the… -
ITEP Work in Action February 27, 2018 CBPP: North Carolina Tax Cuts Have Worsened Racial Wealth Inequities
The top 1 percent of North Carolinians are getting about $21,780 in average tax breaks per year — 59 times the average break for people in the middle fifth of the income scale and 1,361 times the average break for people in the lowest fifth, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found in its analysis of the 2013 tax changes.
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ITEP Work in Action February 22, 2018 Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: Lawmakers Might Come to Regret Georgia’s Risky Tax Plan
Bill Analysis: House Bill 918 Substitute (LC 34 5383-ECS); Feb. 22, 2018 Georgia leaders are now rushing a massive tax package through the state’s General Assembly with limited debate and… -
ITEP Work in Action February 20, 2018 Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Additional Analysis: Impacts of House Bill 463 Including the Pass-Through Deduction (199A) Provision
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.
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ITEP Work in Action February 19, 2018 Oregon Center for Public Policy: Repealing Oregon’s Tax Haven Law is a $20 Million Gamble
The Oregon legislature should act prudently and refrain from hastily eliminating the state’s tax haven law. Otherwise, the legislature could be making it easier for multinational corporations to avoid paying Oregon corporate taxes, potentially costing the state millions.
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ITEP Work in Action February 16, 2018 Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: Governor’s Tax Plan Carries $1 Billion Price
Gov. Nathan Deal’s administration introduced a multifaceted tax package on Feb. 13, 2018 designed to reduce state revenues by about $1 billion a year over the next decade. House Bill… -
ITEP Work in Action February 16, 2018 Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Exploring Working Family Tax Credit Options in Idaho
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 of state tax credits for working families.
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ITEP Work in Action February 15, 2018 Kansas Center for Economic Growth: New KCEG Blog Series Documents Equity Issues Facing Kansas
systemic barriers facing Kansans can strengthen our state’s economy. Using data broken out by race and ethnicity, gender, and immigration status, the entries highlight areas for policymakers to address to ensure continued economic prosperity for every Kansan.
Policy and research analyst Emily Fetsch examined data in recent reports from the Kansas Health Institute and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
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ITEP Work in Action February 14, 2018 New Jersey Policy Perspective: Op-Ed: How to Counter the GOP Tax Plan with Bold Action
The new federal tax law has generated a lot of press, sparked a fair amount of outrage and led many elected officials scrambling to respond with sound policies.
Unfortunately, there seems to be widespread confusion about the winners and losers under the new law – confusion that is complicating efforts to clean up New Jersey’s tax code and raise new resources to invest in critical public services.
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ITEP Work in Action February 7, 2018 Kansas Center for Economic Growth: New American immigrants in Kansas strengthen the economy
A recent report from the Institute of Tax and Economic Policy (ITEP) shows how undocumented immigrants in Kansas demonstrate their commitment to our state and increase state revenue through the… -
ITEP Work in Action February 7, 2018 Kansas Center for Economic Growth: New American Immigrants in Kansas Strengthen the Economy
Currently, undocumented immigrants residing in Kansas pay nearly $68 million a year in state and local taxes. By granting undocumented immigrants full and legal status, Kansas could receive an additional… -
ITEP Work in Action February 6, 2018 Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy: Analysis of House Bill 463
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.
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ITEP Work in Action February 1, 2018 Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: Immigrants Make Georgia Stronger and Better Every Day
Immigrant taxpayers contribute to Georgia’s bottom line. As immigrants start businesses, buy homes, earn wages and spend disposable income at local businesses, they generate considerable state and local tax revenue… -
ITEP Work in Action February 1, 2018 Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: People-Powered Prosperity
People-Powered Prosperity details a new vision for how state lawmakers can pursue strategies to help all Georgians thrive, as well as how the state can responsibly pay for it.
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ITEP Work in Action January 31, 2018 Colorado Fiscal Institute: Effect of Federal Tax Law on Revenue for Colorado and Colorado Taxpayers
The Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI) has a long-time partnership with the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) and their estimate of the impact on state revenue is significantly smaller than the current amounts predicted by the Colorado Legislature and the Colorado Governor’s Office. This brief explains the various components of the ITEP estimate.