
January 14, 2013
Michigan has a regressive tax system, meaning that lower-income people pay a bigger share of their income in state and local taxes than higher-income people. Gov. Rick Snyder’s plan would make it even more regressive, according to an analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a Washington D.C.-based nonpartisan think tank. In fact, […]
January 8, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) November 30, 2009N.E. Editorial Roundup The Associated Press Rutland Herald, Rutland, Vt., Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009: The economic recovery is not occurring as quickly as previously hoped, according to the latest economic reports, which means that when legislators convene in January, the job before them will be daunting. Last week legislators […]
January 8, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) The economic recovery is not occurring as quickly as previously hoped, according to the latest economic reports, which means that when legislators convene in January, the job before them will be daunting. Last week legislators acknowledged that state government faces an $88 million deficit in the coming budget cycle, even without […]
January 8, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) By Richard Locker Originally published 11:28 a.m., November 18, 2009Updated 12:07 a.m., November 19, 2009 NASHVILLE — The Tennessee tax system is the fourth most regressive among the states, with lower-income families paying a higher portion of their income in state and local taxes than do more affluent households, according to […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) Wednesday, September 3, 2008 CommentaryCarl Davis Michigan property taxes are behaving a bit strangely. Despite home values falling in many parts of the state, property tax bills are actually increasing. Although this bizarre occurrence is understandably frustrating to many Michiganians, the truth is that this is an essential component of the […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) By Jeff Cranson | The Grand Rapids PressNovember 19, 2009, 9:36PM Without exception, every business advocacy organization, special interest group and partisan of any stripe screams these days for some sort of change in Michigan’s governmental structure. Now comes another report telling us what anyone paying attention has known for years: […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) November 20, 2009 EDITORIAL There’s a lot of talk in Michigan these days about taxes. Whether they’re too high or too low, whether they’re structured properly for the economy we have, whether they are a hindrance to or a nonissue for economic development. The Free Press editorial board outlined http://www.freep.com/article/20091115/OPINION01/91114005/1069/opinion01/Why-Michigan-needs-to-change-its-taxes”> in […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) Associated PressUpdated: Mar 9, 2011 12:45 PM Michigan citizens need to think about what’s best for everyone rather than just themselves if the state is to reinvent itself, Gov. Rick Snyder told the Michigan Association of Broadcasters on Wednesday. The Republican governor defended his nearly $2 billion in business tax cuts […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) Published: Tuesday, March 08, 2011, 3:07 PM Updated: Wednesday, March 09, 2011, 1:07 AMBy Monica Scott | The Grand Rapids Press The Michigan League for Human Services says a new analysis of Gov. Snyder’s proposed tax plan shows that low-income families would see a far bigger impact from income tax increases […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) By Ed Brayton | 03.09.11 | 7:21 am A new study highlighted by the Michigan League for Human Services concludes that Gov. Snyder’s budget proposals, despite dropping the state income tax rate from 4.35 to 4.25 percent, will increase the tax burden on the poorest Michigan residents more than the wealthy. […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) Mar. 11 2011 – 4:57 pm The quest for influence, power and control at all levels of government has long played out through large political contributions and the big bucks paid to lobbyists to accomplish special interest objectives. And while the game has often been ‘rigged’ to benefit the wealthy in […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) By: David Dayen Wednesday March 16, 2011 11:36 am The team at MichaelMoore.com is streaming live video all day long from protests in Lansing, the latest site to see a backlash to Republican-led efforts to weaken the rights of workers. Moore says that over 6,000 protesters occupied the Rotunda in the […]
January 4, 2013
(PDF of Original Post) Published: Thursday, March 10, 2011 By Jerry Wolffe For the Daily Tribune Low-income families would see 10 times greater impact than the wealthy An analysis of Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed tax plan shows low-income families will see 10 times greater impact from income tax increases than wealthy families, according to the […]
December 21, 2012
Original Post By Matthew Gardner, Executive Director Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy July 28, 2011 Twelve new governors who ran on anti-tax platforms have now signed their first fiscal year budgets. All of them will tell you they were elected with a mandate to get their state’s fiscal house in order, rein in government […]
December 21, 2012
Original Post July 31, 2011 COMMENTARY Twelve new governors who ran on anti-tax platforms have now signed their first fiscal year budgets. All of them will tell you they were elected with a mandate to get their state’s fiscal house in order, rein in government spending and cut taxes. Some of them will even tell […]
December 21, 2012
Original Post September 27, 2011 by Tyler Kingkade WASHINGTON — Newly released U.S. Census data reveal that poverty levels have skyrocketed, but in most states, the tax systems disproportionally burden the poor. Most states also impose tax structures similar to what current Republican presidential candidates are advocating, and experts warn these should serve as cautionary […]
December 21, 2012
(Original Post) Published: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 2:58 PM Updated: Thursday, November 03, 2011, 9:36 PMTroy Reimink | The Grand Rapids Press By Troy Reimink | The Grand Rapids Press How’s this for a blood-boiler: A new report from Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy identifies 30 corporations who […]
December 18, 2012
(Original Post) Siddhartha Mahanta | 12.18.12 | 1:24 pm | Republishposted in Economy/Finance | Government Accountability/Reform | Politics On January 19 of this year, Kansas state Sen. Julia Lynn offered an exuberant greeting to renowned tax-cutting enthusiast Arthur Laffer. “What an honor and privilege to have you here in Kansas,” Lynn said, welcoming the fabled […]
December 17, 2012
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. […]
December 17, 2012
It is often said that families who receive government assistance do not have any “skin in the game,” meaning that they use government-funded programs but do not contribute to the revenue that funds these programs. But, as Benjamin Franklin said, the only things that are certain are death and taxes and everybody pays taxes. Wealth […]
December 17, 2012
(Original Post) Kasich thinks so, but our taxes aren’t really so high8:02 AM, Mar. 22, 2012 Written by Paul E. Kostyu COLUMBUS — Lower Ohio’s burdensome personal income taxes. Create jobs. That’s what Gov. John Kasich proposed last week in an expansive plan to reform government and improve the state’s economy. Kasich said Ohio’s income […]
December 17, 2012
April 11, 2012 at 1:00 am By Gilda Z. Jacobs On a wintry February day, I woke up, showered and got ready to take my little dog, Jake, for his morning walk. It snowed during the night, and I was grateful that the snow had already been removed from the streets and sidewalks. Jake appreciated […]
December 17, 2012
(Original Post) by Wade Gibson | Apr 16, 2012 9:55am For Easter, my friend and I traveled from Connecticut to visit family down in Texas, a distance of nearly 2,000 miles. Two centuries ago, our journey would have taken months by land; a sailboat would have hastened our trip, although we would have feared pirates […]
December 17, 2012
(Original Post) By Amanda J. Crawford on April 26, 2012 As Karen Jacobs, an economist in Arizona’s Department of Revenue, was reviewing income tax data for 2010, she came across a puzzling trend: Refunds were down and tax liability was up even though the state’s unemployment rate peaked that year, at 10.8 percent. “My first […]
December 17, 2012
(Original Post) Saturday, 09 June 2012 11:12 By Mike Alberti, Remapping Debate | News Analysis When Wichita Public Schools Superintendent John Allison learned that, thanks to rising revenues, Kansas was projected to have a budget surplus of more than $300 million at the end of the year – the state’s first surplus since the recession […]