state and local taxes

New Rules Will Require States to Be More Transparent About Tax Subsidies

Congrats to the Government Accounting Standards Board for pushing state and local governments to be more transparent about their tax subsidies. Last week, the agency approved new disclosure requirements that will require states and localities to publicly disclose how much of a given tax is being

August 18, 2015Howard Gleckman

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

States That Cut Taxes Do So At Their Peril

Ever since the 1970s, when Jude Wanniski and Arthur Laffer came up with the ideas that are now referred to as supply-side economics, conservative politicians have been unable to resist the siren song of tax cuts for big earners. In recent years, this enthusiasm has spread to state governments led

July 29, 2015William G. Gale

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

A Divided Supreme Court Rejects Maryland’s Tax On Out-Of-State Income

In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that a Maryland law is unconstitutional because it allows residents only a partial tax credit for out-of-state income that is taxed in other states. The decision not only invalidates the Maryland law but may also limit similar taxes in New York

May 18, 2015Howard Gleckman

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

Can States Boost Growth By Cutting Top Individual Tax Rates?

States can generate powerful economic growth by cutting income tax rates. That, at least, is the theory behind a recent wave of tax cuts, or proposed tax cuts, around the country. Kansas has cut taxes repeatedly in recent years. So has Wisconsin. In Maine, Governor Paul LePage vows to repeal his

May 4, 2015Howard Gleckman

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

One Solution to California’s Drought: Tax Water

The idea is straight out of Economics 101: If you want people to do less of something, raise the price. And California desperately needs its residents and businesses to use less water. So rather than trying to curb water use through a complex maze of regulation, why not just raise the price though

April 7, 2015Howard Gleckman

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

GOP Governors Flirt with Tax Hikes but Still Wedded to Income Tax Cuts

The New York Times recently reported Republican governors across the country were "bucking the party line" on taxes, citing eight GOP executives proposing tax hikes. Bloomberg also noted the trend of Republican governors and "much-regretted" tax increases earlier this week. However, the Wall Street

February 25, 2015Richard C. Auxier

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

Do Sales Tax Holidays Ever Make Sense?

Politicians love sales tax holidays as good campaign fodder. Retailers celebrate them with gaudy signs announcing tax-free shopping, and consumers line up to take advantage of the deals. But economists and policy analysts across the ideological spectrum condemn them as poorly targeted tax policy

August 18, 2014Richard C. Auxier

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

Making State and Local Taxes “Friendly” to Small Businesses

Small business owners are more concerned with the complexity of state and local tax laws than with the amount of tax they pay, according to a recent survey conducted by Thumbtack.com in partnership with the Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation. Aside from economic conditions, small business owners’

June 18, 2014Frank Sammartino

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

How To Fix Washington, DC's Tax System

An advisory commission has recommended some interesting changes to the District of Columbia’s tax system. The commission’s proposals may provide some useful lessons for other...

February 18, 2014Howard Gleckman

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

A New TPC Resource on State Economic Conditions

It isn’t easy to get up-to-date information about state and local economic conditions. Now, a new one-stop resource from The Tax Policy Center’s State and...

July 9, 2013Howard Gleckman