Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

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The Huffington Post: Raising Taxes On The Rich Would Reduce Income Inequality: Larry Summers

February 18, 2014

(Original Post) The Huffington Post | by Jillian Berman Posted: 02/17/2014 3:07 pm EST Updated: 02/17/2014 3:59 pm EST Raising taxes on the rich would “play a major role” in reducing income inequality, according to Larry Summers. Capping the earnings of the likes of Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates would do little to actually boost […]

Go Local Worcester: MA Residents Face Among Highest Transportation Costs in US

January 9, 2014

(Original Post) Thursday, January 09, 2014 Zeke Wright, GoLocalWorcester Contibutor While Massachusetts contributes a high percentage of transportation-related revenue toward roads, a new report show that road-related taxes and fees can’t keep pace with cost of upkeep in the Commonwealth. According to the data compiled by the Tax Foundation, tolls and user fees, fuel taxes, […]

Mint Press News: Expiring Tax Deductions Prompt Talk Of Reform For State, Federal Tax System

December 30, 2013

(Original Post) Without congressional action to extend state and federal tax deductions, 11 million taxpayers will lose $17 billion. By Jo Erickson | December 26, 2013 As the year ends nine federal tax provisions will expire, causing some to pay more in state and local sales taxes. Most critics agree that state and federal taxes […]

Bloomberg: The Worldwide Leader’s Taxing Hypocrisy

December 30, 2013

(Original Post) By Kavitha A. Davidson Dec 27, 2013 4:38 PM ET What does Governor Dannel Malloy really get from keeping ESPN in Connecticut? It turns out professional teams and leagues aren’t the only billion-dollar sports entities getting big breaks on their tax bills. The New York Times reports that ESPN, the self-proclaimed “worldwide leader […]

The Capitol Hill Times: Raise the wage? Seattle’s income battle is a quagmire with options

December 12, 2013

12:06 am December 12th, 2013 by Tyler Mangrum – The Capitol Hill Times – Following the slim victory of a SeaTac measure raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, the labor organizations that helped push forward the initiative took aim at northern King County and the City of Seattle in a march from SeaTac […]

Artvoice: Christmas People

December 12, 2013

(http://artvoice.com/issues/v12n50/news_analysis) by Bruce Fisher The gift economy of New York State In this glorious season of new-fallen snow, warm hearths, and extra hugs, one recalls times past though today’s insanities keep us busy. In our house, away from new reports about public handouts to very rich people, we escape into traditions, and replenish them, too. […]

Fox Business: Income Analysis Shows Widening Gap

December 11, 2013

(Original Post) By Judy Martel Published December 10, 2013 Bankrate.com As Americans continue to climb out of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, many experts are taking note of a widening gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots.” Federal income data over the past 20 years show a growing divide in income among […]

USA Today: Why Christie should endorse tuition equity

December 2, 2013

(Original Post) Raul Reyes, USATODAY 7:12 p.m. EST November 26, 2013 If he signs bill, undocumented high school grads would be able to pay in-state tuition. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is a lawmaker who plays by his own rules. The iconoclastic Republican was not afraid to buck his party by standing with Democratic President […]

The New York State Tax Reform and Fairness Commission conducted a comprehensive and objective review of the State’s taxation policy, considering ways to eliminate tax loopholes, promote administrative efficiency and enhance tax collection and enforcement. Read the Full Report

The Huffington Post: Biggest Tax Break In U.S. History May Not Be Enough For Boeing

November 18, 2013

(Original Post) Posted: 11/15/2013 3:56 pm EST  |  Updated: 11/17/2013 5:40 pm EST Jillian Berman Earlier this week, the legislature in Washington state agreed to give Boeing $8.7 billion in tax breaks through 2040 in an attempt to convince the company to locate production of a new jetliner fleet in the state. It’s believed to […]

DC's tax system is markedly regressive. This is driven largely by the regressive impact of the city's sales, excise, and property taxes. The personal income tax is the only effective tool that DC has available for offsetting this regressivity. In the comments below I discuss four options for fine-tuning DC's income tax to lessen its impact on moderate- and middle-income taxpayers. I also describe four options for funding those tax cuts with policies that would increase upper-income taxpayers' effective tax rates to be more in line with those paid by their less affluent neighbors.

New York Times: No to More Casinos in New York State

October 25, 2013

(Original Post) By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Published: October 24, 2013 New York State is home to five casinos run by Indian tribes and nine casinos that are called “racinos” because they are large slot machine parlors near racetracks. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature now want to expand gambling by putting a constitutional amendment on […]

USA Today: The most tax-friendly states for business

October 15, 2013

(Original Post) Charley Blaine, 24/7 Wall St. 11 a.m. EDT October 12, 2013 Taxes are necessary for a functioning government, but according to one group, many states are crippling regional business growth with tax structures that are too expensive or complex. The Tax Foundation’s 2014 State Business Tax Climate Index graded all 50 states based […]

Politico: Arthur Laffer is back as GOP tax man

October 15, 2013

  By RACHAEL BADE | 10/14/13 11:03 PM EDT Four decades ago at the Washington Hotel, a quirky economist made a pitch on the back of a napkin to Ford administration officials Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld: Cutting taxes would create an economic boom. Back then, many Republicans opposed tax cuts, but that famous “Laffer […]

Governing: Is Earmarking the Best Way to Fund Projects?

September 30, 2013

(Original Post) It’s not black and white, but understanding the pros and cons increases your chances of coming to the right answer for a particular project. BY: KATHERINE BARRETT & RICHARD GREENE | OCTOBER 2013 There are many issues in government management where things aren’t black and white, where gray is the color of the […]

The Fiscal Times: You Won’t Believe Which State Taxes Its Poor the Most

September 24, 2013

(Original Post) BETH BRAVERMAN The Fiscal Times  September 23, 2013 Washington State may have one of the lowest overall tax burdens in the country, but its poorest citizens pay more than residents of any other state. The poorest 20 percent of Washington residents pay 16.9 percent of their income in taxes, while the top 1 […]

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A Federal Gas Tax for the Future

September 23, 2013 • By Carl Davis

Gas tax revenues are on an unsustainable course. Over the last five years, Congress has transferred more than $53 billion from the general fund to the transportation fund in order to compensate for lagging gas tax revenues. By 2015, the transportation fund will be insolvent unless an additional $15 billion transfer is made. Larger transfers will be needed in subsequent years.

Center for American Progess: The Real Cost of Cuccinelli

September 23, 2013 • By ITEP Staff

Besides working on these major research projects, I developed CTJ/ITEP’s strong online media presence. One of the most important roles I play is as the primary web manager for both CTJ and ITEP. Similarly, over the past two years I successfully initiated and then maintained CTJ and ITEP’s social media presence. Center for American Progress […]

Washington Post: The state that taxes the poor the most is… a blue one

September 23, 2013

(Original Post) By Niraj Chokshi, Published: September 21 at 10:00 am The state that easily handed President Obama a victory last November while passing voter-approved referendums legalizing same-sex marriage and marijuana consumption also happens to have the nation’s highest tax burden on the poor. Poor families in Washington state pay 16.9 percent of their total […]

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State Tax Codes As Poverty Fighting Tools

September 19, 2013 • By Meg Wiehe

New Census Bureau data released this month show that the share of Americans living in poverty remains high, despite other signs of economic recovery. The national 2012 poverty rate of 15 percent is essentially unchanged since 2010 , but still 2.5 percentage points higher than pre-recession levels. This means that in 2012, 46.5 million, or about 1 in 6 Americans, lived in poverty.1 The poverty rate in most states also held steady with five states experiencing an increase in either the number or share of residents living in poverty while only two states saw a decline.2

The Shorthorn: I want to disrupt what you think

September 18, 2013

(Original Post) Posted: Wednesday, September 18, 2013 12:45 am | Updated: 1:50 am, Wed Sep 18, 2013. Lindsey Juarez The Shorthorn staff  teenage boy rode his bicycle to the DMV 16 years ago to get what many teenage boys dream of having: a driver’s license. The boy with jet black hair and olive eyes stood […]

Associated Press: Liu Calls for Legalized Pot in NYC

August 14, 2013

New York City Comptroller John Liu is proposing a historic overhaul of the city's marijuana laws, believing that legalizing medical marijuana and allowing adults to possess an ounce of pot for recreational use would pump more than $400 million into the city's coffers.

The Boston Globe: Tax break is no holiday for Mass.

August 12, 2013

(Original Post) By Tom Keane |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENT     AUGUST 06, 2013 THERE ARE certain things our elected officials do that make easy pickings for a columnist, and right at the top of the list is the Bay State’s annual sales tax holiday. (Make that mostly annual; we skipped 2009). As July waned, the […]

PBS: How Low Can They Go? Arthur Laffer Defends Slashing State Income Taxes

August 1, 2013

In this 2012 Making Sen$e report, former Reagan White House economic adviser Arthur Laffer drew his famous curve on a napkin -- just the way he did for the Ford administration -- and explained how it works.

The City Wire: Some studies note impact of tax holiday promote spending

August 1, 2013

One back-to-school ritual designed to boost consumption will occur this weekend starting Saturday (Aug. 3) and ending Sunday (Aug. 4), as consumers may take advantage of a statewide tax-free holiday.