Reports
A Capital Idea
January 15, 2011 • By Carl Davis, Meg Wiehe
The budget outlook for the states is improving, but uncertain. In this context, states must find ways to generate additional revenue that create neither additional responsibilities for individuals and families struggling to make ends meet nor additional distortions in the economy as a whole. For eight states – Arkansas, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, […]
Dear Wall Street Journal: No Need to File a Missing Persons Report, Oregon’s High-Income Taxpayers Have Not “Vanished”
December 22, 2010 • By Carl Davis
The Wall Street Journal recently published an editorial suggesting that a 2 percentage point increase in Oregon’s top income tax rate caused up to 10,000 wealthy Oregonians to flee the state. In support of its claim, the Journal points to new data showing that 10,000 fewer Oregonians were affected by this tax increase than the […]
How the Bush Tax Cuts Affect State Revenues
December 15, 2010 • By Matthew Gardner
Less than one month from now, federal tax cuts pushed through by President George W. Bush are scheduled to expire—and Congressional tax writers have spent much of this year debating how these tax cuts should be extended. This debate has huge implications for the nation’s fiscal health, but also has often-overlooked implications for state revenues. […]
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: 2010 State Tax Policy Changes
December 15, 2010 • By Carl Davis, Meg Wiehe
Compared to previous years, the budget outlook for the states improved only slightly in 2010 and virtually every state continued to face a budget shortfall. As a result, the overwhelming majority of state policymakers were put in the unenviable position of having to address some very difficult budgetary issues. Lawmakers were forced to make the […]
Testimony before the Maryland Business Tax Commission: Combined Reporting
November 9, 2010 • By Carl Davis
I’m here to talk about combined reporting, which ITEP views as a vital step towards ensuring the vitality of the Maryland corporate income tax going forward. I’d like to use my allotted time to discuss one important policy choice that Maryland policymakers must make in implementing combined reporting. Read the Full Report (PDF)
Census Data Reveal Washington’s Fundamental Tax Mismatch: Washington is a Low Tax State, But Not for Families Living in Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
Recently released data from the Census Bureau confirms that overall Washington could be considered a “low tax state.” However, families living near or below the poverty line generally do not experience Washington as a low tax state — instead, they pay more than their fair share of state and local taxes.. Read the Full Report […]
Census Data Reveal Texas’ Fundamental Tax Mismatch: Texas is a Low Tax State, But Not for Families Living in Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
Recently released data from the Census Bureau confirms that overall Texas could be considered a “low tax state.” However, families living near or below the poverty line generally do not experience Texas as a low tax state — instead, they pay more than their fair share of state and local taxes. Read the Full Report […]
Census Data Reveal Tennessee’s Fundamental Tax Mismatch: Tennessee is a Low Tax State, But Not for Families Living in Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
Recently released data from the Census Bureau confirms that overall, Tennessee could be considered a “low tax state.” However, families living near or below the poverty line generally do not experience Tennessee as a low tax state — instead, they pay more than their fair share of state and local taxes. Read the Full Report […]
Census Data Reveal Florida’s Fundamental Tax Mismatch: Florida is a Low Tax State, But Not for Families Living in Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
Recently released data from the Census Bureau confirms that overall, Florida could be considered a “low tax state.” However, families living near or below the poverty line generally do not experience Florida as a low tax state — instead, they pay more than their fair share of state and local taxes. Read the Full Report […]
Census Data Reveal Arkansas Fundamental Tax Mismatch: Arkansas is a Low Tax State, But Not for Families Living in Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
Recently released data from the Census Bureau confirms that overall, Arkansas could be considered a “low tax state.” However, families living near or below the poverty line generally do not experience Arkansas as a low tax state — instead, they pay more than their fair share of state and local taxes. Read the Full Report […]
Census Data Reveal Arizona’s Fundamental Tax Mismatch: Arizona is a Low Tax State, But Not for Families Living in Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
Recently released data from the Census Bureau confirms that overall Arizona could be considered a “low tax state.” However, families living near or below the poverty line generally do not experience Arizona as a low tax state — instead, they pay more than their fair share of state and local taxes. Read the Full […]
Credit Where Credit is (Over) Due: Four State Tax Policies Could Lessen the Effect that State Tax Systems Have in Exacerbating Poverty
September 15, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
The ongoing recession has had an unrelenting impact on families and communities in every state across the country. Millions of Americans are without work and in many cases those with jobs are experiencing reduced work hours and wages. New poverty figures from the US Census suggest that the road to economic security will be a […]
“Writing Off” Tax Giveaways: How States Can Help Balance Their Budgets by Reforming or Repealing Itemized Deductions
August 24, 2010 • By Carl Davis, Meg Wiehe
“Writing Off” Tax Giveaways examines options for reforming itemized deductions in the thirty-one states, plus DC, that offer such deductions. The study, released on August 24, 2010, focuses on five potential reforms: repealing itemized deductions entirely, capping the maximum size of itemized deductions, converting itemized deductions to a credit, instituting a phase-out for upper-income taxpayers, […]
ITEP’s Testimony on TRAC Sales and Use Tax Proposal
August 13, 2010 • By Carl Davis
My testimony today offers several broad thoughts on the implications of the proposals for sales and use tax reform laid out so far by the Tax Realignment Commission (TRAC). The testimony stresses that while base-broadening is of paramount importance in achieving a more sustainable state sales tax, policymakers should be aware of the need for […]
ITEP Podcast on Maine Voters’ Rejection of Tax Reform – download audio (.mp3)
June 15, 2010 • By Matthew Gardner
Download the MP3
Pending Georgia Tax Changes Would Redistribute Income From the Poorest Families to the Rich
April 22, 2010 • By Meg Wiehe
In the 2010 legislative session, Georgia lawmakers have ratified, or are poised to ratify, a set of tax changes which would dramatically reshape the fairness of the state’s tax system. A new ITEP analysis shows that these changes would increase the taxes paid by the poorest ninety five percent of Georgians, while cutting taxes for […]
Massey Pays One-Sixth of 35% Federal Tax Rate, Little in State Income Tax
April 15, 2010 • By Matthew Gardner
A new analysis shows that Massey Energy, which owned the Upper Big Branch mine where 29 West Virginia miners were killed last week, paid an average of 5.6 percent of its profits in federal income taxes over the last three years—despite having large profits in each year. This is less than one-sixth of the statutory […]
Leaving Money on the Table: “Federal Offset” Provides Incentive for States to Rely on Progressive Income Taxes
April 10, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
Seven states—Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming—have chosen to make up for the lack of an income tax by increasing their reliance on general sales taxes.1 The result is an “upside down” state tax system, which imposes higher effective tax rates on middle- and low-income families than on the best-off taxpayers. But […]
Does Alabama’s Tax System “Redistribute Wealth”?
April 5, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
Last week, an Alabama legislative committee approved a bill, House Bill 1, that would take an important step towards making one of the most unfair tax systems in the nation somewhat less unfair. Some opponents of the bill have characterized it as a “redistribution of wealth” from the best-off families to low-income taxpayers. However, these […]
Maryland’s Millionaire Migration Debate: Understanding the Relevance of the New Jersey Migration Studies
March 25, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
As the debate over extending the Maryland “millionaires’ tax” continues, numerous lawmakers and advocates have recently begun to look toward New Jersey’s experience with its own “halfmillionaires’ tax” to help inform their understanding of the issues at work. In particular, two studies of New Jersey’s migration patterns—one from Boston College and one from Princeton University—have […]
Proposed Repeal of Refundable Low Income Credit Would Hurt the Poorest Georgians
March 25, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
Earlier this week, the tax writing committee in the Georgia House of Representatives quietly approved a bill, HB 1219, that would increase Georgia taxes by about $20 million a year by paring back a tax credit that only affects the very poorest Georgians. The bill’s proponents have repeatedly implied that the beneficiaries of the existing […]
ITEP’s Testimony Before the MD House Ways & Means Committee on Preserving Maryland’s “Millionaires’ Tax”
March 23, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
My testimony today focuses on Senate Bill 913, which would temporarily extend, through 2014, the “millionaires’ tax” that is currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2010. This testimony emphasizes that the “millionaires’ tax” makes Maryland’s tax system at least somewhat less unfair than it otherwise would be; that claims about the negative impact […]
ITEP’s Testimony on HB 2034 Income Tax Reforms
March 18, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
My testimony today focuses on one bill introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives: HB 2034, which would reform the state’s individual income tax structure. My testimony will discuss the impact of this bill on the yield and fairness of Missouri’s income tax. HB 2034 would raise over a billion dollars a year to fund […]
ITEP’s Testimony Before the MD Senate Budget and Tax Committee on Preserving Maryland’s “Millionaires’ Tax”
March 11, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
My testimony today focuses on Senate Bill 913, which would temporarily extend, through 2014, the “millionaires’ tax” that is currently scheduled to expire at the end of 2010. This testimony emphasizes that the “millionaires’ tax” makes Maryland’s tax system at least somewhat less unfair than it otherwise would be; that claims about the negative impact […]
Leadership Tax Plan Hits Poor Hardest
March 2, 2010 • By ITEP Staff
Media outlets are reporting that leaders in the New Mexico legislature reached a tentative agreement in the days leading up to this week’s special legislative session that would impose over $220 million a year in new Gross Receipts Taxes (GRT) and cigarette taxes. Reports also indicate that the agreement does not include any provisions to […]
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