Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center: Responsible Growth: Protecting the Public Interest with a Natural Gas Severance Tax

January 14, 2013

Currently, Pennsylvania is the only major fossil fuel-producing state that does not levy a mineral extraction, or severance, tax to recover some of the costs borne by citizens and to compensate them for the loss of a finite natural resource. Levying a tax on natural gas extraction will help achieve both of these goals. The […]

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center: Keeping Score: More Pennsylvania Businesses are Losers Under the Single Sales Factor

January 14, 2013

Budget negotiators are considering adopting the Single Sales Factor (SSF)1, a targeted tax break promoted by a small group of Pennsylvania corporations. The SSF would cost the Pennsylvania Treasury around $100 million, when the state has a billion dollar deficit, and is facing large cuts in libraries, hospitals and services for children and vulnerable people. […]

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center: Sales Taxation of Admission to Cultural Events Across the U.S.

January 14, 2013

The 2009-10 Pennsylvania state budget agreement announced in principle by the lawmakers includes a proposal to eliminate the sales tax exemption currently in place for admissions to cultural events (live theater, concerts, opera, ballet, museums and other similar activities).1 Removing this exemption is projected to raise approximately $100 million per year in new tax revenue. […]

The Charleston Gazette: N.E. Editorial Roundup

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 […]

Rutland Herald: Tax inequities

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 […]

The Commercial Appeal: Report says Tennessee’s tax system among nation’s most regressive

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 […]

The Delaware County Daily Times: Editorial: Time for taxpayers to take a stand

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) Monday, December 14, 2009 Delaware County Council held a public hearing on a proposed 2010 budget last Wednesday in the county council meeting room. The $308.6 million budget reflects a $5.6 million increase over the current budget. It includes a proposed tax increase of .359 mills, which would bring the […]

Scranton Times-Tribune: Study rips state taxation

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) Monday, November 23, 2009 5:52 AMBy Borys Krawczeniuk, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa. Nov. 23–The share of income paid toward state and local taxes by the poorest fifth of Pennsylvanians is more than twice as large as the share paid by the wealthiest, according to a study by a Washington, D.C.-based […]

Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal: Pennsylvania among ‘Terrible 10’ most regressive tax states

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) STAFF REPORTPublished: November 19, 2009 Working families in Pennsylvania pay a far higher share of their income in state and local taxes than their wealthiest counterparts, according to a new study by the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy (ITEP). In 2007, middle-class earners paid nearly double the share of […]

Philadelphia Business Journal: Pa. taxes among most regressive

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) Philadelphia Business Journal – by Athena D. Merritt Staff Writer A new study ranks Pennsylvania’s tax system as the ninth-most regressive in the nation for taxing the state’s poor and middle income far more heavily than the wealthy. New Jersey did not make the list of states with the most […]

Patriot-News: Make tax system more equitable for all Pa. families

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) By Patriot-News Op-Ed March 21, 2010, 12:37PM There is a myth alive and well that low-income people don’t pay taxes. The truth is just the opposite: The poorest families in Pennsylvania pay a higher share of their meager incomes in taxes than middle-class or wealthy families. Who are the poor? […]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Among the Terrible 10 of regressive taxation

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) Friday, February 04, 2011 05:00 AM Pennsylvania, like most states, faces huge deficits due to the economic meltdown. Our new governor has promised to balance the state budget without adding or increasing taxes or fees, by cutting business taxes and by making deep cuts in programs. But do we know […]

PA Independent: How Pennsylvania’s budget deficit could be worse

January 7, 2013

(PDF of the Original Post) April 1, 2011 Flat income tax may have cushioned recession’s blow By Eric Boehm | PA Independent HARRISBURG — One of only seven states with a flat personal income tax system may have spared Pennsylvania from some of the pain of the recent economic downturn. It may be hard to […]

Columbia Missourian: Consumption tax more nuanced than some people might think

January 4, 2013

(PDF of Original Post) By Furqaan SadiqJune 12, 2009 | 9:49 p.m. CDT COLUMBIA — The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute have released reports on Missouri’s income disparities, and they show a stark figure: income inequality has grown in Missouri over the past two decades. The richest Missouri families […]

Tri-Parish Times: Will Jindal go for more sin taxes?

January 4, 2013

(PDF of Original Post) By TOM ASWELL During the 1988 presidential race, Vice President George H.W. Bush proclaimed, “Read my lips: no new taxes!” That famous line helped him defeat Michael Dukakis but when he was forced to back-track on that promise, it was his eventual undoing. Bill Clinton’s own pithy campaign slogan “It’s the […]

The Morning Call: Air Products’ CEO says education is key

December 19, 2012

(Original Post) John McGlade tells Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce a skilled workforce is ‘critical.’     Air Products CEO John McGlade addresses the crowd at the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce annual meeting and awards luncheon at Stabler Arena Tuesday. Air Products CEO John McGlade addresses the crowd at the Greater Lehigh… (DONNA […]

Clarion Ledger: Corporations already evading Miss. state income tax

December 19, 2012

5:51 PM, Dec. 15, 2011 Written by Bill Minor Among the outlandish bills sponsored by Republican lawmakers I had mentioned a couple of weeks ago was one that would have repealed (yes, repealed) the state income tax on corporations. It didn’t pass. Now don’t be surprised if the bill resurfaces when the GOP takes over […]

Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center: Bill Won’t Close Tax Loopholes But Will Erode Quality of PA Schools and Services

December 17, 2012

“The debate over House Bill 2150 made clear that this bill was never about closing corporate tax loopholes. Instead, it will put in place a billion dollars in corporate tax cuts that will cripple the commonwealth’s ability to provide education, health care and human services for Pennsylvania families. The tax cut plan in HB 2150 […]

The Times Leader: Corporate tax topic of Mundy bill

December 17, 2012

It would deal with two key issues by lowering state corporate net income tax rate and closing some loopholes. By Steve Mocarsky [email protected] The debate about Pennsylvania’s high corporate taxes and how companies use loopholes to skirt them has been going on for years, but a bill that would address both issues has been languishing […]

PA Independent: PA Bill Eliminates Biz Tax Shelters, Lowers Biz Income Taxes

December 17, 2012

(Original Post) Would close so-called “Delaware loophole” January 29, 2012 By Stacy Brown | PA Independent HARRISBURG — Two Pennsylvania state representatives, a Democrat and a Republican, are teaming up to produce a bill that would close the so-called Delaware loophole and potentially add up to $600 million annually in state income. State House Policy […]

Cincinnati Enquirer: Will lower income tax bring jobs to Ohio?

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 […]

Salon: States shush corporate critics

December 17, 2012

(Original Post) Wednesday, Apr 4, 2012 7:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time From factory farms to home foreclosures, state governments are helping hide corporate wrongdoingBy David Sirota You can’t be outraged by — or fight back against — what you don’t know. At least that seems to be the theory behind a spate of new government-backed […]

Tulsa World: Anti-tax group’s flawed ‘research’

December 17, 2012

LYNNE SHAW Published: 4/11/2012  2:24 AM Last Modified: 4/11/2012  3:53 AM What is the difference between serious statistical research and statistical manipulation? The foundation for all of the Oklahoma personal income tax proposals is one “study” done by the commercial and biased group of Arduin, Laffer and Moore Econometrics (ALME). Its work was published by […]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: A sorry story of transit and taxes: State legislators support the wealthy over the many who need mass transit

December 17, 2012

(Original Post) April 18, 2012 12:00 am By Natalia Rudiak We are the wealthiest nation in the world. So why are we struggling to maintain basic public services? It seems that Allegheny County’s transit system is in crisis every year, but this year the crisis looks potentially terminal: Without adequate funding from our state government, […]

Philadelphia Inquirer: Pa.’s tax dodgers don’t deserve a break

December 17, 2012

(Original Post) Posted: Tue, May. 1, 2012, 3:00 AM Sharon Ward For too long, big companies have benefited from Pennsylvania lawmakers’ refusal to close tax loopholes. They have been free to use aggressive avoidance schemes to shield their income from state taxes and shift the cost of public services to families and other businesses. After […]