ITEP Work in Action
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Lawmakers Wise to Reject Reckless Income Tax Measures
March 25, 2016
This year’s General Assembly produced no shortage of big debates, with subjects from religious exemptions to rape kits grabbing statewide and even national headlines. But beneath the surface lurked a serious threat to Georgia’s well-being that didn’t make it onto many front pages or the late night shows. A pair of tax-slashing proposals, House Bill […]
Connecticut Voices for Children: Revenue Options are Crucial to Maintaining Public Investments that Promote Prosperity
March 15, 2016
In confronting the financial crisis looming over state budget decisions, the common-sense choice for Connecticut should be a balanced approach that includes revenue, rather than a cuts-only approach that threatens an already fragile economic recovery. Read more
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Tax Breaks, Income Tax Cuts Could Harm Georgia Finances
March 1, 2016
A variety of tax bills await further consideration by state legislators as the Georgia General Assembly enters its final few weeks of the 2016 session. There are 11 tax bills affecting state revenues still alive after Crossover Day, the point where bills must clear at least one legislative chamber to have a good chance at […]
Maine Center for Economic Policy: When Budgets Unravel: Unlimited deductions will jeopardize schools and safety When Budgets Unravel: Unlimited deductions will jeopardize schools and safety
February 29, 2016
Read the full report here “Legislators passed a bipartisan budget last year that funds schools, communities, and programs that give a hand up to those most in need. The budget also cuts income taxes for 83% of Mainers and improves the overall fairness of Maine’s tax system by reducing property taxes for all homeowners and […]
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Senate Resolution 756 threatens to disrupt Georgia’s long-term finances
February 26, 2016
Senate Resolution 756 threatens to undermine Georgia’s ability to remain an attractive state for families and businesses. Passing the amendment creates a rigid formula in Georgia’s constitution that inflicts a series of never-ending automatic revenue cuts based on arbitrary targets. This formula is harmful to Georgia’s growth, especially if coupled with House Bill 238’s proposal […]
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Slashing Income Tax Delivers Meager Benefit to Most, Jeopardizes Public Services
February 26, 2016
Georgia lawmakers are considering a pair of proposals that offer a miniscule tax cut to the majority of Georgia families and a massive benefit to the highest-income individuals who need it least, while jeopardizing lawmakers’ ability to meet the needs of a rapidly growing state. The first plan, House Bill 238, calls for a series […]
Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Sensible Reforms Can Boost Undocumented Immigrants’ Tax Contribution
February 25, 2016
Undocumented immigrants in Georgia pay a significant share of state and local taxes each year and providing those families a path to legal status can increase their tax payments even more. That’s the key takeaway from a new analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), which takes a close look […]
Fiscal Policy Institute: New York’s Regressive Tax Structure and the 1% Plan for Tax Fairness
February 17, 2016
Those in the wealthiest 1% are taking home the lion’s share of income gains, yet they nevertheless pay a smaller share of their income in combined state and local taxes than lower and middle-income families. New York households with incomes under $100,000 pay higher effective state and local tax rates, ranging from 10.4% to 12%, […]
North Carolina Tax and Justice Center: Prosperity Watch Issue 58, No. 3: State EITC allows working North Carolinians keep more of what they earn, boosts economy
February 17, 2016
Low- and middle-income taxpayers in North Carolina pay a larger share of their income in state and local taxes than the wealthiest taxpayers in the state. This inequity in North Carolina’s tax code makes it difficult for working families to make ends meet and further challenges the state’s ability to invest in communities and […]
Missouri Budget Project: Earned Income Tax Credit: The Basics
February 10, 2016
“A Missouri EITC would boost local communities and economies while encouraging work, enhancing take-home pay, and improving long-term health and economic outcomes for more than 500,000 Missouri families. A Missouri EITC would give a much-needed break to Missourians struggling to get by on low wages. A state EITC would boost local communities and economies while […]
Hawai’i Appleseed Center for Law and Economic Justice: Cutting Taxes to Strengthen the Economy and Boost Hawai’i’s Families: A Refundable State Earned Income Tax Credit
February 10, 2016
“Building a stronger Hawai‘i for businesses and residents means creating more opportunities for working families to climb the economic ladder. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a proven tool for fostering economic prosperity.” Read full report
West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy: A Tax Cut That Works for Working Families: A West Virginia Earned Income Tax Credit
February 10, 2016
“Too many working families in West Virginia are paid low wages and have trouble making ends meet, with basic living expenses stretching family budgets beyond their limits. With tax overhaul a main topic in front of the legislature, a bottom-up tax cut like a state Earned Income Tax Credit that would help people who work […]
South Dakota Budget and Policy Institute: WHO PAYS increased SD sales taxes to raise teacher salaries?
February 8, 2016
“There is broad consensus in South Dakota that teacher salaries need to be competitive to attract and retain good teachers – but who is going to pay for it? Two options have been floated thus far to fund the increase. Some in-depth fiscal analysis and charting helps clarify the difference between these options.” Read full […]
Kentucky Center for Economic Policy: Revenue Options that Strengthen the Commonwealth
February 8, 2016
“By generating new revenue to invest in the building blocks of our s.tate, good tax reform will make Kentucky stronger for all. This menu of tax reform options describes some of main ways to get there. Currently, too many tax breaks and loopholes in the state’s tax system drain money that is needed to shore […]
Louisiana Budget Project: A stronger EITC can mitigate sales tax increase
February 3, 2016
The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) calculates that the poorest 40 percent of Louisiana households paid 10 percent of their family income in state and local taxes last year. The richest 1 percent of households paid only 4.2 percent of their total income in state and local taxes. The main reason for […]
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 […]
The Commonwealth Institute: Room for Improvement
January 22, 2016
“Virginia households with an average annual income of $59,000 would save an average of just $6.45 per year – less than the price of a movie ticket. And households making roughly $14,000 a year would save an average of only $1.32 per year per household. That’s barely enough to buy the local newspaper. In fact, […]
Oklahoma Policy Institute: The Cost of Tax Cuts in Oklahoma
January 12, 2016
“Due to these cuts, Oklahoma’s top income tax rate has been slashed by almost a fourth, from 6.65 percent before 2004 to 5 percent beginning in 2016. The annual revenue loss from these cuts has now reached $1.022 billion, according to an analysis prepared for OK Policy by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. […]
Massachusets Budget and Policy Center: Funding Improvements for Schools, Roads, and Public Transit with Tax Reforms that Improve Fairness
December 23, 2015
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.
Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: Welcome Newcomers to Build a Stronger Georgia
December 18, 2015
“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 regardless of citizenship status. Georgia immigrants as a whole contributed nearly $1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2012, the most recent year available. […]
Michigan League for Public Policy: The 2015 roads plan: Helps wealthy and hampers budget
December 18, 2015
“Finally, the income tax rollback that was thrown in as a sweetener has implications on the budget as well as tax fairness. Under the plan, if General Fund revenues grow by more than the rate of inflation, the rate of the income tax would be reduced. According to the House Fiscal Agency analysis, if these […]
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, […]
Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center: Expanding the Sales Tax in an Equitable Way
December 7, 2015
“There is good reason to worry about the sales tax falling heavily on low-income families. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the lowest-income 20% of Pennsylvania families pay an average of 5.8% of their income in sales tax. The top 20%, by contrast, pay less than 2.3% of their income in sales […]
Third and State: Unintended Consequences? Property Tax Elimination Increases Taxes on the Middle Class to Reduce Taxes for High Income Families
November 30, 2015
“Let’s start with the impact of property tax elimination on different groups of taxpayers. While we have not examined the tax incidence of the current SB 76 bill, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) did estimate for us the tax incidence of a similar proposal several years ago. That proposal, like the current […]
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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