Citations

“It’s essential that Oregonians recognize the important contribution undocumented workers make to our state’s economy. Undocumented immigrants perform vital work in certain industries. Together they earn roughly $2.3 billion to $4.5 billion a year, much of it undoubtedly spent on goods and services purchased from Oregon businesses. And beside labor and purchasing power, undocumented immigrants […]

This report puts Connecticut’s budget in perspective. It compares our response to the current downturn with our reaction to the previous two, it assesses the impact of recent changes on the progressivity of our tax code, and it places our current expenditures and taxes in historical context. Taking this broad view yields a set of […]

“In political talking points, the phrase “everyone should have skin in the game” is being used to push unfair revenue schemes around the country. The phrase is used under the false assumption that low-income Americans aren’t paying their fair share of taxes. In Arizona, some proponents of the so-called flat tax are using this slogan […]

In recent months, there has been a steady stream of reports about state business taxation. The Council on State Taxation (COST), a trade association of large corporations, released its annual ranking of state and local business taxes, naming Connecticut the lowest-tax state in America. Then, Good Jobs First graded states on accountability provisions in their […]

“On the last Friday of 2011, the legislature’s tax reform task force released its proposals for changing Oklahoma’s tax system. The most significant recommendation was to cut the top income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 4.75 percent. This would be paid for by eliminating numerous tax credits and exemptions, including broad-based credits going to […]

The tax package adopted by Gov. Rick Snyder and the Legislature last year will begin to take effect in 2012. Michigan’s business taxes will be reduced by $1.6 billion, while individual income taxes will increase by $1.4 billion, when fully implemented in Fiscal Year 13.1 These tax changes make Michigan’s tax structure even more regressive. […]

States have the flexibility to design their own tax rates and structures to fund public services. Most states rely on three types of taxes: personal income, property and consumption (sales and excise) taxes. Whether the state’s tax system is regressive (taxes the poor more heavily than the rich) or progressive (taxes the rich more heavily […]

Public services, though sometimes invisible, are a crucial element in a thriving economy. To restore critical services and invest in the future, Ohio should boost income-tax rates on its highest earners. Read the Full Report (PDF)

Read the Full Report (PDF)

“Ohio’s income tax plays a crucial role in helping the state meet vital needs, and is the only major state tax based on ability to pay. This brief, a resource for the public and policymakers alike, explains why Ohio needs a strong income tax.” Read the Full Report (PDF)

“Rhode Island must continue to update its out of-date sales tax to be able to make investments in education, public safety, transportation and the other services that are necessary to build a strong economy. Rhode Island continues to have one of the most narrow sales tax bases in the country due in part to the […]

“Rhode Island residents and businesses make a collective investment in our state by contributing towards the cost of public services and amenities that help create jobs and enhance our quality of life. The state’s ability to protect our families and businesses, educate current and future workers, repair roads and keep buses running, and provide health […]

“Poor and middle-income Ohioans would get little out of Gov. John Kasich’s proposed income-tax cut, while the highest-income Ohioans would see reductions in the thousands of dollars. While House Republicans have sidelined the proposal for now, Rep. Ron Amstutz, chair of the Finance and Appropriations Committee, indicated it will be taken up in the future.[1] […]

“These anticipated reactions – changes in the timing and composition of income and other forms of tax avoidance – are not nearly as dramatic as the consequences predicted by some parties in the debate over taxes. Some, but not all, of these reactions can be expected to result in inefficiency and deadweight loss for a […]

“As they ponder plans to cut Oklahoma’s top income tax rate, most lawmakers admit the state cannot afford a cut without eliminating many other tax breaks. They emphasize that we should close loopholes for corporate “special-interests.” Yet as details of their plans emerge, we’ve discovered that the biggest cost would fall not on special-interests, but […]

Plans to eliminate or drastically cut income taxes and replace them with other levies are in vogue in several states. But Georgia policymakers would do well to ignore the siren’s call. Such a tax shift would do nothing to help the state’s economy and would, in fact, hurt families and businesses by eroding support for […]

“THE HAWAI‘I APPLESEED CENTER for Law and Economic Justice has compiled this report to illustrate the crisis facing those living in poverty in Hawai‘i and who are suffering severely as they bear the heaviest burden of the recession. We also propose solutions to address the crisis by increasing revenue and implementing policies that strengthen our […]

The Governor has called for the creation of a Tax Reform and Fairness Commission to develop recommendations on how we might modify our current tax structure so that is fair to all New Yew Yorkers. The current tax system in the State of New York tends to put more of the state and local tax […]