Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Minnesota

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State Tax Credits Have Transformative Power to Improve Economic Security

• By Aidan Davis

The latest analysis from the U.S. Census Bureau provides an important reminder of the compelling link between public investments and families’ economic well-being. Policy decisions can drastically reduce poverty and improve family economic stability for low- and middle-income families alike, as today’s data release shows.

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States are Boosting Economic Security with Child Tax Credits in 2023

• By Aidan Davis, Neva Butkus

Fourteen states now provide Child Tax Credits to reduce poverty, boost economic security, and invest in children. This year alone, lawmakers in three states created new Child Tax Credits while lawmakers in seven states expanded existing credits. To maximize impact, lawmakers should consider making their credits fully refundable, not including an earnings requirement, setting a maximum amount per child instead of per household, setting state-specific phase-out ranges that target low- and middle-income families, indexing to…

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Boosting Incomes, Improving Equity: State Earned Income Tax Credits in 2023

• By Aidan Davis, Neva Butkus

Nearly two-thirds of states (31 plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) have an Earned Income Tax Credit, an effective tool that boosts low-paid workers’ incomes and helps lower-income families achieve greater economic security. This year, 12 states expanded and improved EITCs.

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How to Better Tax the Rich Men North (and South) of Richmond

• By Amy Hanauer

When you examine tax policy through the lens of how much working (and poor) people are taxed compared to rich men north (and south) of Richmond, it’s hard not to take Oliver Anthony's runaway hit as a jumping off point to amplify some important facts.

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State Rundown 8/23: Tax and Effect

• By ITEP Staff

While a number of state tax laws are debated, approved, and vetoed in any given year, many go unnoticed...

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States and Localities are Making Progress on Curbing Unjust Fees and Fines

• By Andrew Boardman

Too many state and local governments tap legal-system collections, rather than adequate tax systems, to fund shared essentials like public safety and education. But a growing number of states and localities are choosing a better approach. Momentum for change has continued to build in 2023, with no fewer than seven states enacting substantial improvements.

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State Rundown 7/12: The Mid-Year Legislative Session Roundup

• By ITEP Staff

Most state legislatures have adjourned for 2023, and that means it’s a perfect time to look at the tax policy trends that have formed thus far...

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The Highs and Lows of 2023 State Legislative Sessions

• By Aidan Davis

Nearly one-third of states took steps to improve their tax systems this year by investing in people through refundable tax credits, and in a few notable cases by raising revenue from those most able to pay. But another third of states lost ground, continuing a trend of permanent tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit high-income households and make tax codes less adequate and equitable.

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Refundable Credits a Winning Policy Choice Again in 2023

• By Neva Butkus

State lawmakers continue to make groundbreaking progress on state tax credits, with 17 states creating or enhancing Child Tax Credits or Earned Income Tax Credits so far this year. These policies have the potential to boost family economic security and dramatically reduce the number of children living below the poverty line.

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Minnesota’s Tax Battle of 2023 Signals a Turning of the Tide Against Corporate Tax Avoidance

• By Matthew Gardner

The qualified success of Minnesota’s GILTI conformity—to say nothing of the state’s serious dalliance with the game-changing worldwide combined reporting--sends a clear signal that the days may be coming to an end when big multinationals can scare state lawmakers into allowing them to game the tax system.

Route Fifty: Minnesota Takes On Corporate Profit Shifting

June 7, 2023

It has closed a loophole that companies use to create income tax havens abroad, and as overall tax revenue continues to slump, it could be a path other states take. Read more.

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The Real Impact of State Tax Cuts

• By Aidan Davis

This op-ed was originally published by Route Fifty and co-written by ITEP State Director Aidan Davis and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Senior Advisor for State Tax Policy Wesley Tharpe. There’s a troubling trend in state capitols across the country: Some lawmakers are pushing big, permanent tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy and […]

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State Rundown 6/1: State Revenue Highs and Lows

• By ITEP Staff

Short-sighted tax cuts continue to make their way to Governors’ desks this week. In Florida, Gov. DeSantis signed a $1.3 billion tax cut package with $550 million of the tax cuts from sales tax holidays, alone. The Nebraska legislature also sent $6.4 billion in tax cuts to Gov. Pillen’s desk which includes an enormous personal income tax cut that will reduce taxes on the top 1 percent by tens of thousands of dollars.

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State Rundown 5/25: The North Star State Leads the Way on Tax Fairness

• By ITEP Staff

As we approach the midpoint of 2023, it’s a good time to look back at the progress states have made in the name of tax fairness and equity...

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State Rundown 5/18: Credits, Cuts, and Corporate Revenue Raisers

• By ITEP Staff

This past week, in statehouses around the country, tax policy decisions are moving fast as budgets were signed and budget plans were released and passed...

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Preventing an Overload: How Property Tax Circuit Breakers Promote Housing Affordability

• By Brakeyshia Samms, Carl Davis

Circuit breaker credits are the most effective tool available to promote property tax affordability. These policies prevent a property tax “overload” by crediting back property taxes that go beyond a certain share of income. Circuit breakers intervene to ensure that property taxes do not swallow up an unreasonable portion of qualifying households’ budgets.

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State Rundown 5/10: Momentum on State Tax Credits Continues to Build

• By ITEP Staff

This week, in states across the country the momentum to center improvements to family economic security remains strong...

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Minnesota Poised to Enact Landmark Loophole-Closing Corporate Tax Reforms

• By Matthew Gardner

With Minnesota poised to enact worldwide combined reporting of corporate income taxes, business lobbyists are pulling out all the stops to make state lawmakers believe the apocalypse is upon them.

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Extending Temporary Provisions of the 2017 Trump Tax Law: National and State-by-State Estimates

• By Joe Hughes, Matthew Gardner, Steve Wamhoff

The push by Congressional Republicans to make the provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent would cost nearly $300 billion in the first year and deliver the bulk of the tax benefits to the wealthiest Americans.

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State Rundown 5/3: Policy Debates Unfold from Capitol to Capital

• By ITEP Staff

While the conversations on the debt ceiling heat up in the nation's capital, debates on state tax policy also continue to unfold in capitol buildings across the nation...

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Minnesota Lawmakers Re-Envision State Tax System to Center Equity

• By Neva Butkus

Minnesota’s House, Senate and Governor’s office have each proposed their own vision as to how the state should maximize its $17.5 billion surplus and raise new revenue, and these tax plans make one thing clear: Minnesota lawmakers are serious about using tax policy to advance tax equity and improve the lives of Minnesotans.

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State Rundown 4/19: Revenue Discussions Heat Up Like the Temperature

• By ITEP Staff

Tax season has ended for most filers, but the topic remains a hot one in states around the country...

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We Can Create a Fair, Feminist Tax Code

• By Amy Hanauer

Everything! Taxing wealthy people and corporations and using the revenue for paid leave, child care, education, health care and college would transform America for girls and women of every race and family type, in every corner of this country.

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Deep Public Investment Changes Lives, Yet Too Many States Continue to Seek Tax Cuts

• By Aidan Davis

When state budgets are strong, lawmakers should put those revenues toward building a stronger and more inclusive society for the long haul. Yet, many state lawmakers have made clear that their top priority is repeatedly cutting taxes for the wealthy.

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State Rundown 4/6: More SALT, Please

• By ITEP Staff

This week, a bill out of Arkansas that would cut the top personal income tax rate and the corporate income tax rate found its way to the governor’s desk...