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blog
January 18, 2017
Kansas State of the State: Worlds Apart
Back in December, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback gave an interview with the Wall Street Journal and suggested President-elect Trump should follow his state’s example and… -
blog
January 18, 2017
State Rundown 1/18: Revenue Woes Piling Up Faster Than Solutions
This week we continue to track revenue shortfalls, governors’ budget proposals, and other tax news around the country, finding most proposals to be focused on… -
report
January 18, 2017
Multinational Corporations Would Receive Half a Trillion in Tax Breaks from Trump's Repatriation Tax Proposal
One of the central questions for lawmakers looking to reform the federal tax code this year is how to address the $2.5 trillion in earnings that U.S. companies are holding offshore to avoid taxes. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have supported proposals that would either require or allow companies to repatriate these earnings to the United States at a discounted tax rate. These proposals have ranged from letting companies repatriate their earnings tax-free to requiring them to immediately pay a discounted rate of 20 percent. All of the proposals would give corporations a substantial tax discount and forego much-needed revenue.
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blog
January 17, 2017
Congress Shouldn't Defy Public Opinion and Good Policy by Cutting Taxes for Corporations and the Wealthy
Members of Congress have floated fundamental changes to the tax code for years, but last week marked a ramping up of these efforts as Republican… -
blog
January 17, 2017
State of Play: The Coming Debate Over the Ryan and Trump Tax Plans
If the incoming Trump Administration and Republican-lead Congress have their way, fundamental changes to the tax code are afoot. The most important similarity between the… -
brief
January 17, 2017
Most Americans Live in States with Variable-Rate Gas Taxes
The federal government and many states are unable to adequately maintain the nation’s transportation infrastructure in part because the gasoline taxes intended to fund infrastructure projects are often poorly designed. Thirty states and the federal government levy fixed-rate gas taxes where the tax rate does not change even when the cost of infrastructure materials rises or when drivers transition toward more fuel-efficient vehicles and pay less in gas tax. The federal government’s 18.4 cent gas tax, for example, has not increased in over twenty-three years. Likewise, more than twenty states have waited a decade or more since last raising their own gas tax rates.
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brief
January 17, 2017
How Long Has It Been Since Your State Raised Its Gas Tax?
Many state governments are struggling to repair and expand their transportation infrastructure because they are attempting to cover the rising cost of asphalt, machinery, and other construction materials with fixed-rate gasoline taxes that are rarely increased.
The chart accompanying this brief shows (as of January 1, 2017) the number of years that have elapsed since each state’s gas tax was last increased.
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blog
January 11, 2017
State Rundown 1/11: State Legislative Sessions Kick Off Amid Uncertainty
This week brings still more states looking for solutions to revenue shortfalls, multiple governors’ State of The State addresses, important reading on counter-transparency and local-preemption… -
blog
January 4, 2017
State Rundown 1/4: Revenue Shortfalls, Gas Tax Changes Dominate Early Debates
This week we bring you updates on major revenue shortfalls looming in Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, as well as gas tax changes taking effect in some… -
brief
December 21, 2016
State Estate and Inheritance Taxes
For much of the last century, estate and inheritance taxes have played an important role in fostering strong communities by promoting equality of opportunity and helping states adequately fund public services. While many of the taxes levied by state and local governments fall most heavily on low-income families, only the very wealthy pay estate and inheritance taxes.
Changes in the federal estate tax in recent years, however, caused states to reevaluate the structure of their estate and inheritance taxes. Unfortunately, the trend of late among states has tended toward weakening or completely eliminating them. But this need not be so; states can restore or improve their estate and inheritance taxes as a vital progressive revenue source to support services and communities while also protecting the source from the whims of federal lawmakers. This policy brief explains state inheritance and estate taxes, discusses recent state trends and policy decisions that have impacted the taxes, and explores how states can adopt or strengthen these important components of a progressive tax structure.
