Vermont
Public Loss Private Gain: How School Voucher Tax Shelters Undermine Public Education
May 17, 2017 • By Carl Davis, Sasha Pudelski
One of the most important functions of government is to maintain a high-quality public education system. In many states, however, this objective is being undermined by tax policies that redirect public dollars for K-12 education toward private schools.
Public Assets Institute: Meeting Vermonters’ needs in Fiscal 2018 and beyond
April 17, 2017
Elected leaders acknowledge investments are needed to clean up Lake Champlain, provide families with child care financial assistance, and make higher education more affordable. But progress has been slow in making these investments. And to balance the budget they make cuts—to Reach Up benefits for the poorest families, to affordable housing programs, to key policy […]
Seven Days: Afford-Ability: Can Gov. Phil Scott Deliver a Bigger Slice of the Pie?
January 12, 2017
“Despite all the ink spilled over the state’s supposedly high tax burden, Vermont’s effective tax rate is roughly average. And according to a 2015 study by the left-leaning Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, “Vermont’s tax system is among the least regressive in the nation because it has a highly progressive income tax and low […]
VT Digger: Margolis: Why ‘cure’ Vermont’s economy if it isn’t sick?
June 22, 2016
“These assessments are somewhat oversimplified but not entirely inaccurate. Lower-income Vermonters actually pay a smaller percentage of their incomes in state and local taxes than their counterparts in most other states, according to data compiled by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. But middle-income and wealthy taxpayers pay a higher percentage than they would […]
Vermont Biz: Vermont top state in the East for the ‘Middle Class’
May 3, 2016
“Tax fairness. A measure calculated by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (link is external) that compares the tax burden (including all types of taxes) of the middle 60% of earners to the top 1%” Read more
VT Digger: Margolis: Spending less isn’t as simple as it sounds
May 3, 2016
“It isn’t just that the wealthy — households in the top 1 percent in Vermont whose average income is $978,400 — paid 7.7 percent of their income in total state and local taxes last year, less than the 10.5 percent paid by middle-income households averaging $45,600, or even the 8.9 percent paid by the lowest-income […]
Testimony before the Vermont Senate Committee on Finance: Tax Policy Issues with Legalized Retail Marijuana
January 19, 2016 • By Carl Davis
Thank you for the opportunity to testify on the tax policy issues associated with legalized retail marijuana. Our testimony includes five parts: 1. An overview of the marijuana tax rates and structures that exist in the four states (Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) where retail marijuana can be legally sold. 2. An analysis of early stage revenue trends in the two states (Colorado and Washington) where legal, taxable sales of retail marijuana have been taking place since 2014. 3. A discussion of issues associated with different types of marijuana tax bases--specifically weight-based taxes, price-based taxes, and hybrids of these two…
ITEP Comments to the Vermont Senate Committee on Finance: Tax Expenditure Evaluation
January 13, 2016 • By Carl Davis
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Vermont's effort to establish a system for regularly evaluating its tax expenditure programs. Data-driven tax expenditure evaluations are a valuable tool for gauging the effectiveness of policy initiatives pursued via the tax code. ITEP is supportive of Vermont's efforts in this area and is generally encouraged by the work completed thus far by groups such as the Joint Fiscal Office and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Rather than rehash the many useful recommendations made by those organizations, these comments focus on two areas that may be in need of further attention: the scope…
Barre Montpelier Times Argus: Public Assets Institute Report Report: Economic rebound mostly benefits wealthy
January 12, 2016
“Taking into account sales, excise, property and income taxes, the top 1 percent — followed by the top 4 percent — paid the smallest share of their incomes in taxes in 2015. Households taking in between $38,000 and $58,000 payed the greatest share.”
Huffington Post: How Some States Are Trying To Fix Their Crumbling Infrastructure
July 6, 2015
Carl Davis, research director at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, said efforts to raise state taxes to pay for roads and bridges exploded this year. In 2013 and 2014, four states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Wyoming) increased their gas taxes, while Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island indexed the gas tax to either […]
Rapid News Network: Michigan Senate could see road fix funding package today
July 6, 2015
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce today applauded the Michigan Senate for their leadership in passing a comprehensive plan to fix Michigan’s roads. Gas taxes in six other states are to rise Wednesday, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, as legislators in Vermont, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Maryland, Georgia and Idaho, raised gas taxes to make […]
Planetizen: State Gas Tax Changes Effective July 1: Six Up; One Down
July 6, 2015
Carl Davis, Research Director of the Institute on Tax and Economic Policy (ITEP) writes where gas taxes used to fund transportation infrastructure increased, if only by decimal points, and about the aberration—the six-cent plunge in California. “The largest gas tax increases are taking place in Idaho (7 cents per gallon) and Georgia (6.7 cents for […]
Zero Hedge: These Six States Just Raised Their Gasoline Tax
July 1, 2015
According to the Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), starting today, six states will increase their gas taxes to help pay for transportation projects. Beginning July 1, drivers in Idaho, Georgia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Nebraska and Vermont will be charged more at the pump as a result of […]
Convenience Store Decisions: Fuel Taxes Increase in Six States
July 1, 2015
Six states raise fuel levy to fund transportation projects to make up for federal deficits. According to the Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), in an effort to replace federal transportation funding, six states will be raising the tax on fuel purchases. This tax increase goes into effect […]
RTT News: Six States Brace for Higher Gas Tax Rates
July 1, 2015
Drivers in Idaho, Georgia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Nebraska and Vermont will be charged more at the pump starting July 1, according to the Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. By far the biggest increases are in Idaho and Georgia, where gasoline taxes will jump almost 7 cents per gallon. […]
Market Watch: Gasoline Taxes Going Up
July 1, 2015
Two groups have put together a list of six states in which gasoline taxes will go up beginning Wednesday. Citizens for Tax Justice and the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy say that drivers in Idaho, Georgia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Nebraska and Vermont will be charged more at the pump as a result of new […]
Equipment World: Gas Tax Increases for Transportation Funding Start Today in 6 States
July 1, 2015
The flurry of state gas tax legislation enacted earlier this year now goes into effect for a handful of states across the country, providing an increase in funding for much-needed transportation projects. “While some drivers may view this as an unwelcome development during the busy summer travel season,” said Carl Davis, research director for the […]
Spokesman Review: Ready For 7 Cents More At Pumps?
June 30, 2015
Six states are scheduled to increase their gas taxes on July 1 to help pay for transportation projects, according to the Citizens for Tax Justice and Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). The groups said Monday that drivers in Idaho, Maryland, Rhode Island, Nebraska and Vermont will be charged more at the pump beginning […]
Washington Post: Fill The Tank Today
June 30, 2015
The residents of six states will pay more at the pump starting July 1 as increased gas taxes go into effect. Motorists in Idaho, Georgia, Maryland, Rhode Island, Nebraska and Vermont will shell out more to refuel. Californians, on the other hand, will pay less. The analysis comes from Citizens for Tax Justice and the […]
Detroit Free Press: Senate Plan for Roads Includes 15-Cent Boost in Gas Tax
June 30, 2015
LANSING – A 15-cent increase in the tax on gasoline, phased in over three years, would be the centerpiece of a funding plan the state Senate is expected to consider this week as legislators scramble to find a way to repair Michigan’s crater-marked roads and bring relief to drivers. Gas taxes in six other states […]
The Hill: Six States Increasing Gas Taxes on July 1
June 29, 2015
Six states are scheduled to increase their gas taxes on July 1 to help pay for transportation projects, according to the Citizens for Tax Justice and Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy groups. The groups said Monday that drivers in Idaho, Maryland, Rhode Island, Nebraska and Vermont will be charged more at the pump beginning […]
Vermont Legislative Joint Fiscal Office: ITEP and Pew Reports on Vermont’s Income Distribution and Tax System
April 21, 2015
This report is a slide deck that review’s ITEP’s Who Pays report and its findings on the Vermont state tax system. Read the full report here.
Public Assets Institute: Vermont Has the Capacity to Avoid 2016 Budget Cuts
March 24, 2015
Vermont’s income tax is among the lowest in the country: 2.7 percent of the state’s total personal income. Eliminating tax breaks and lowering income tax rates would balance the fiscal 2016 budget without cuts and still leave Vermont’s effective income tax rate lower than those of 24 other states. Read the full report here.
Public Assets Institute: How to Close the Budget Gap–Fiscal 2016 and Beyond
March 16, 2015
“Vermont is one of six states in the country that uses federal taxable income rather than adjusted gross income as the base for the state income tax. Because this base is lower, the state must set its top marginal rate higher than necessary to raise the needed revenues. Additionally, tax breaks that primarily benefit upper-income […]
Public Assets Institute: Vermont’s Tax System Is Still Unfair
January 21, 2015
Vermont taxes are higher, as a percentage of income, on the poor and those in the middle than they are on the 1 percent at the top, according to the new study Who Pays? released Wednesday by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). Vermont is not alone; the wealthiest pay less than everyone […]
