Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Georgia

USA Today: 7 states will have higher gas taxes Jan. 1

December 28, 2016

“Georgia, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida will each see modest gas tax increases of less than a penny per gallon, based on automatic adjustments in those states, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Two states — New York and West Virginia — will have slight reductions based on automatic adjustments, according to […]

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: A Bottom-Up Tax Cut to Build Georgia’s Middle Class Update

December 16, 2016

Building a better Georgia, with a strong economy and vibrant communities, requires a more resilient middle class and more opportunities for working families to climb the economic ladder. One of the best tools to help ensure that all Georgians share in that prosperity is a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), or Georgia Work Credit. […]

Denver Post: CDOT to test taxing drivers by the mile instead of at the pump

November 14, 2016

“Carl Davis, research director at the Washington, D.C.-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said it’s true that state governments will have to find alternate ways of generating revenues for road projects as more cars go hybrid and electric. And he lauds Colorado, Oregon and California for testing the per-mile tax concept for the day […]

Yahoo! Finance: New Jersey just hiked its gas tax by 159%. Is your state next?

November 7, 2016

“Of course, New Jersey isn’t the only state that has or is toying with raising gasoline taxes. Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and Washington upped their gas taxes in 2015, notes the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Louisiana, Tennessee, Alaska, Alabama and Minnesota are contemplating increases in 2017.” […]

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State Tax Subsidies for Private K-12 Education

October 12, 2016 • By Carl Davis

This report explains the workings, and problems, with state-level tax subsidies for private K-12 education. It also discusses how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has exacerbated some of these problems by allowing taxpayers to claim federal charitable deductions even on private school contributions that were not truly charitable in nature. Finally, an appendix to this report provides additional detail on the specific K-12 private school tax subsidies made available by each state.

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State Tax Codes as Poverty Fighting Tools

September 15, 2016 • By Aidan Davis, Meg Wiehe

Despite this unlevel playing field states create for their poorest residents through existing policies, many state policymakers have proposed (and in some cases enacted) tax increases on the poor under the guise of "tax reform," often to finance tax cuts for their wealthiest residents and profitable corporations.

Read this brief in PDF here. State lawmakers frequently make claims about how proposed tax changes would affect taxpayers at different income levels. Yet too many lawmakers routinely ignore one important consequence of their tax reform proposals: the effect of state tax changes on their constituents’ federal income tax bills. Wealthier taxpayers in particular can […]

This brief outlines the causes of Louisiana's infrastructure revenue shortfall and offers recommendations for how the state can achieve "sufficient increased levels of recurring funding to address the transportation backlog in highway and bridge maintenance needs in Louisiana," as per the Task Force's mandate.

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Tennessee Now Holds Sales Tax Holiday on Same Weekend as Georgia

August 8, 2016

Seventeen states, primarily in the Southeast, stand to lose more than $300 million in tax revenue because they waive sales taxes on back-to-school items and other goods, including hunting gear, energy-efficient appliances and severe weather preparedness, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization with offices in Washington, D.C., […]

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Tennessee now holds sales tax holiday on same weekend as Georgia

July 28, 2016

“Seventeen states, primarily in the Southeast, stand to lose more than $300 million in tax revenue because they waive sales taxes on back-to-school items and other goods, including hunting gear, energy-efficient appliances and severe weather preparedness, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization with offices in Washington, D.C., […]

This brief was updated July 2018 Read this Policy Brief in PDF here. Sales taxes are an important revenue source, composing close to half of all state tax revenues.[1] But sales taxes are also inherently regressive because the lower a family’s income, the more the family must spend on goods and services subject to the […]

WSB-TV Atlanta: Social media ad sparks concern about some losing homes

June 23, 2016

“A recent study by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that one in three undocumented immigrants in the U.S. own their own homes and pay billions of dollars in property taxes yearly.” Read more

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Georgia Work Credit Could Get Families a Better Deal at Tax Time

April 16, 2016

As Georgians put the finishing touches on their returns to meet today’s income tax filing deadline, one benefit many are missing out on is a tax credit that states can offer to help average families get a fair deal. Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia provide taxpayers with a state-level match for the Earned […]

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Lawmakers Wise to Reject Reckless Income Tax Measures

March 25, 2016

This year’s General Assembly produced no shortage of big debates, with subjects from religious exemptions to rape kits grabbing statewide and even national headlines. But beneath the surface lurked a serious threat to Georgia’s well-being that didn’t make it onto many front pages or the late night shows. A pair of tax-slashing proposals, House Bill […]

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Tax Breaks, Income Tax Cuts Could Harm Georgia Finances

March 1, 2016

A variety of tax bills await further consideration by state legislators as the Georgia General Assembly enters its final few weeks of the 2016 session. There are 11 tax bills affecting state revenues still alive after Crossover Day, the point where bills must clear at least one legislative chamber to have a good chance at […]

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Immigrants without legal status pay $358.7 million in taxes in Georgia

February 29, 2016

“The 11 million immigrants living without legal status in the U.S. pay $11.6 billion in state and local taxes each year, including $358.7 million in Georgia, a new report shows. Those numbers would go up by $800 million and $42.1 million respectively each year, if the U.S. Supreme Court were to uphold President Barack Obama’s […]

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Senate Resolution 756 threatens to disrupt Georgia’s long-term finances

February 26, 2016

Senate Resolution 756 threatens to undermine Georgia’s ability to remain an attractive state for families and businesses. Passing the amendment creates a rigid formula in Georgia’s constitution that inflicts a series of never-ending automatic revenue cuts based on arbitrary targets. This formula is harmful to Georgia’s growth, especially if coupled with House Bill 238’s proposal […]

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Slashing Income Tax Delivers Meager Benefit to Most, Jeopardizes Public Services

February 26, 2016

Georgia lawmakers are considering a pair of proposals that offer a miniscule tax cut to the majority of Georgia families and a massive benefit to the highest-income individuals who need it least, while jeopardizing lawmakers’ ability to meet the needs of a rapidly growing state. The first plan, House Bill 238, calls for a series […]

Georgia Budget & Policy Institute: Sensible Reforms Can Boost Undocumented Immigrants’ Tax Contribution

February 25, 2016

Undocumented immigrants in Georgia pay a significant share of state and local taxes each year and providing those families a path to legal status can increase their tax payments even more. That’s the key takeaway from a new analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), which takes a close look […]

The Signal: Fighting for an education: Georgia student organizations band together for the admittance of undocumented students

January 12, 2016

“Opposition to allowing DACA students in-state tuition tends to come in the form of a few arguments: doing so is a burden on taxpayers, illegal and the undocumented will have problems finding jobs if their status hasn’t changed by graduation are a few. However, according to the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy (ITEP), Georgia’s […]

Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: Welcome Newcomers to Build a Stronger Georgia

December 18, 2015

“Immigrant taxpayers contribute to Georgia’s bottom line. As immigrants start businesses, buy homes, earn wages and spend disposable income at local businesses, they generate considerable state and local tax revenue regardless of citizenship status. Georgia immigrants as a whole contributed nearly $1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2012, the most recent year available. […]

Gainsville Times: Report says immigrants boost state’s economic fortunes

December 18, 2015

“Georgia immigrants as a whole contributed nearly $1.8 billion in state and local taxes in 2012, with undocumented immigrants pouring in another $352 million in payroll and health care taxes, according to the GBPI report and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.” Read more

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Georgia retirees get an edge, but context needed to understand ranking

November 16, 2015

“Norton Francis, a senior research associate with the Urban Institute’s State and Local Finance Initiative, said the ranking is likely “pretty much true,” largely because of Georgia’s generous pension exemption. But both he and Carl Davis, research director with the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said they questioned whether the Kiplinger rankings took into […]

Politifact: Is Georgia tax-friendly state for retirees?

November 16, 2015

“Norton Francis, a senior research associate with the Urban Institute’s State and Local Finance Initiative, said the ranking is likely “pretty much true,” largely because of Georgia’s generous pension exemption. But both he and Carl Davis, research director with the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said they questioned whether the Kiplinger rankings took into […]

Georgia Budget and Policy Institute: A Bottom-Up Tax Cut to Build Georgia’s Middle Class

October 21, 2015

Building a better Georgia, with a strong economy and vibrant businesses, requires a more resilient middle class and more opportunities for working families to climb the economic ladder. One of the best tools to help ensure that Georgians broadly share in that prosperity is a state-level Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Read full report here