Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

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Washington Post: How state tax systems unfairly burden low-income earners

January 14, 2015

“State taxes favor those with the highest incomes. That’s according to a new report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy report, which finds that on average the bottom fifth of earners pay proportionally twice as much of their incomes in state and local taxes as the top 1 percent. Such systems that are […]

CBS: Are local taxes unfair to the poor?

January 14, 2015

“When it comes to state taxes, the rule of thumb is often topsy-turvy: The less you earn, the more you pay. That’s the conclusion from a new analysis of local taxes from the nonprofit Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), a nonpartisan research firm that studies tax issues. The organization’s findings won’t do much […]

The Providence Journal: RI’s poorest residents pay higher percentage of income in taxes than highest 1 percent

January 14, 2015

“Rhode Island’s poorest residents can expect to pay nearly twice as much of their income in taxes than the state’s wealthiest 1 percent, according to a new study. That data ranks Rhode Island fifth-worst in the country for taxes on the poor, worse than its ninth-place ranking two years ago, according to a study released […]

International Business Times: Poor Families Pay Double The State And Local Tax Rate As The Rich

January 14, 2015

“Middle- and low-income Americans are facing far higher state and local taxes than the wealthy, according to a new report assessing tax data from all 50 states. In all, the analysis by the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) finds that the poorest 20 percent of households pay on average more than twice […]

The New York Times: Study Finds Local Taxes Hit Lower Wage Earners Harder

January 14, 2015

“When it comes to the taxes closest to home, the less you earn, the harder you’re hit. That is the conclusion of an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy that evaluates the local tax burden in every state, from Washington, labeled the most regressive, to Delaware, ranked as the fairest of them […]

The New York Times: Writing off the Warhol Next Door

January 12, 2015

And at a time when concerns about inequality have heightened criticism of government policies that favor the wealthiest sliver of society, these tax breaks have come under sharper scrutiny. “I think these types of deals do not follow the intent, even if they follow the letter, of the law,” said Rebecca Wilkins, senior counsel on […]

Yakima Herald-Republic: Tax System Unlikely to See Overhaul This Year

January 12, 2015

Further, due to reliance on a relatively high sales tax, Washington has ranked as the most regressive state tax system in the nation, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that advocates for progressive tax policies. The poorest 20 percent of state residents pay nearly 17 percent of […]

Bloomberg BNA: Will 2015 Be the Year of Gas Tax Reform?

January 9, 2015

While the states have sometimes been slow to react on this issue, at least lawmakers seem to be beginning to understand the reasons for gas tax reform, said Matthew Gardner, executive director of the non-profit, non-partisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP).  Gas tax reform was something that many lawmakers weren’t willing to talk […]

The Wall Street Journal: In Low Gasoline Prices, an Opening Emerges for Higher Taxes

January 9, 2015

“There aren’t many products where every time you go for a drive you see the price thrown at you a dozen times before you get to your destination,” said Carl Davis, a senior policy analyst at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonprofit research group in Washington. “Gasoline is something people buy frequently. […]

Illinois Times: Illinois Broken Tax System

January 9, 2015

It adds up to the fourth-most regressive tax code in the nation, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. In thundering against the status quo, Rauner has raised expectations in a state that has traditionally seen tax hikes and overhauls when Republicans occupy the governor’s […]

USA Today: New Year Brings Hundreds of New Laws

January 5, 2015

Drivers in five states could see gasoline prices rise with gas tax increases, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a tax watchdog group. The biggest increase is in Pennsylvania, 9.8 cents, followed by Virginia, 5.1 cents; Maryland, 2.9 cents; North Carolina, 1 cent; and Florida, 0.3 cents. New York, Nebraska, Vermont, West […]

Los Angeles Times: Is the Oil Crash About to Snuff out the Texas Miracle?

January 5, 2015

Questions about who has really benefited from Texas fiscal policies will be heard more often, and the answers will be ugly. As the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy observes, Texas has one of the most regressive tax systems in the land: its poorest 20% pay about four times as much of their average income […]

Grand Forks Herald: Higher Gas Tax Needed for Safe, Efficient Highways

January 5, 2015

he Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy has proposed the most logical and realistic analysis of and recommendation on this tax issue. The full report should be reviewed by everyone, but especially by our legislators. Here are the first few paragraphs from this very comprehensive report: “The gas tax is the single most important source […]

Politico Pro: Alaska’s Bill Walker under Pressure Amid Oil Price Crash

January 5, 2015

Meg Wiehe, state tax policy director at the liberal-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said it’s also necessary for Alaska to consider some sort of new tax revenue as a long-term solution. The state is “really kicking the can down the road,” she said. “I just think [Alaska’s plan] is fiscally very short-sighted because […]

NBC–WHAG: Maryland Gas Tax Jumps 3 Cents

January 5, 2015

According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, drivers in four other states could potentially see a similar motor-fuel tax increase to benefit state transportation. However, in light of the recent drop in gas prices, local motorists are not as concerned about the uptick. Read more

KFOR: State Leaders Approve Tax Breaks for Wealthiest Oklahomans

December 22, 2014

According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, the tax breaks would equal out to $9 for those who make between $19,500 and $36,400. It would also give $30 back to individuals making between $36,400 and $58,100. An additional $81 would go in the pockets of those who make between $58,100 and $97,700. Read […]

Marketplace: Is Cheaper Gas an Opening for Higher Taxes?

December 22, 2014

Federal money is drying up, as the national gas tax has remained at 18.4 cents per gallon. And more fuel-sipping cars on the road mean Americans are buying less gas to tax. Thus the urgency. “When we see pretty fiscally conservative governors in states like New Jersey and Wisconsin either openly talking about gas tax […]

Urban Milwaukee: Wisconsin Taxes and Inequality

December 22, 2014

Generally speaking, regressive taxes make income inequality greater, progressive taxes reduce it, and neutral taxes have no effect. The organization that has done the most extensive analysis of how state taxes redistribute income upward or downward is the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Read more

Wall Street Journal: How Google, GE and U.S. Firms Play the Tax Audit Lottery

December 19, 2014

“It gives a broad indication of which companies are engaging in risky tax behavior,” says Matthew Gardner, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a Washington, D.C., nonprofit that produces widely used federal and state tax models and supports progressive tax policies. Read more

The Star-Herald: Lawmakers Should Pursue Fairness, Not Partisan Hype, in Plans for Tax Reform

December 16, 2014

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy said the bottom 20 percent of Kansas taxpayers saw their tax burden increase while the wealthiest Kansans saw their taxes decrease. With special-interest PAC money pouring into Kansas state government races, the Legislature doubled down, proposing another round of tax cuts that would eliminate income taxes and maintain […]

CBS Moneywatch: States Aren’t Hitting the Jackpot with Lotteries

December 16, 2014

Some lotteries have limits on the amount of money they spend on advertising their games as a way of discouraging compulsive gambling. Lawmakers in North Carolina, though, recently tried and failed to double the amount of money the state could spend on marketing its game, said Meg Wiehe of the Institution on Taxation and Economic […]

inquisitor: The Financial Benefits of Legalizing Marijuana

December 15, 2014

Carl Davis, senior analyst at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy told The Huffington Post that legalizing marijuana would bring a positive effect for the U.S. in terms of revenue.  Read more

The Register-Mail: Progressive Income Tax Better for Illinois

December 15, 2014

The flat in Illinois tax seems fair, but when grouped with all the other taxes people pay it is out of balance. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, Illinois’ tax system (all taxes) is regressive toward low and middle income families with the third highest tax burden of all states. Read more […]

Quartz: American Lawmakers Will Put Their Rubber Stamp on American Profit Shifting

December 15, 2014

“If there was not that exception, every time Apple paid royalties to its Bermuda subsidiary or Cayman Island subsidiary for using the Apple logo, and every time the Irish subsidiary paid those same royalties for using the Apple logo, it would immediately be taxable in the US,” says Rebecca Wilkins, the senior tax counsel at the Institute on Taxation […]

Nashville Scene:The State GOP Takes Aim at the Hall Tax

December 12, 2014

According to a study by the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, nearly two-thirds of this tax cut would flow to the wealthiest 5 percent of the state’s taxpayers. Taxpayers over age 65 who earn less than $59,000 a year in total income already are exempt from the tax. The vast majority of Tennesseans […]

Members of the media rely on ITEP for analysis and insight about how tax policies affect people. If you’re a reporter looking to talk to one of our experts, contact Jon Whiten at [email protected].