State taxes were upended in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as governments shut down large parts of the economy. While overall state tax revenues have fared better than expected since then, state leaders have been closely examining existing tax policies and...
States reported solid revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2020, but there is large variation across states and across revenue sources. Over a nine-month period (April through December 2020), state total tax revenues declined 2.2 percent compared to the same...
Elaine Maag, Principal Research Associate in the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, testified before the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Business and Economic Development. The hearing included a discussion on the “Child Wealth Building Act of 2021” (B24-236) and tax policy...
Kim Rueben, Sol Price Fellow and Director of the State and Local Finance Initiative at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, testified before the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Business and Economic Development. The hearing included a discussion on the “Child Wealth Building...
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 increased the federal earned income tax credit (EITC) and child tax credit (CTC). In turn, 28 states and the District of Columbia will see increases in their state EITCs because of existing linkages between federal and state tax codes. We estimate that...
This chartbook compares the breadth of general sales and excise tax bases across the states. It categorizes detailed personal consumption expenditures (as measured in the Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income and Products Accounts) by their tax treatment in each state and the District of...
States reported robust revenue growth in the third quarter of 2020, a reversal of steep declines in the second quarter that mostly reflects shifting income tax filing deadlines. Over a six-month period (April through September 2020), state revenues declined 2.0...
The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing recession, as well as racial injustices and protest responses throughout 2020, have highlighted that public policies can have very different impacts on populations by race or ethnicity. Tax policies, in particular, are commonly perceived as “race neutral,”...
Postsecondary education can be a critical step toward financial independence. Total college costs in California may present an extraordinary financial burden. For students with incomes under $30,000 in California, the cost of attendance at public universities (after accounting for existing grant...
States saw steep declines in revenues in the second quarter of 2020, though some of this was caused by shifting revenues into the next quarter and next fiscal year. Consequently, most states ended fiscal year 2020 uncertain about their fiscal bottom line. Many states cut...
Surveying State Leaders on the State of State Taxes
State taxes were upended in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as governments shut down large parts of the economy. While overall state tax revenues have fared better than expected since then, state leaders have been closely examining existing tax policies and...
State Tax and Economic Review, 2020 Quarter 4
States reported solid revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2020, but there is large variation across states and across revenue sources. Over a nine-month period (April through December 2020), state total tax revenues declined 2.2 percent compared to the same...
Using Basic Income to Meet the Needs of DC Communities
Elaine Maag, Principal Research Associate in the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, testified before the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Business and Economic Development. The hearing included a discussion on the “Child Wealth Building Act of 2021” (B24-236) and tax policy...
Understanding Taxes that Can Raise Revenues to Help Offset Growing Wealth Inequality in the District of Columbia
Kim Rueben, Sol Price Fellow and Director of the State and Local Finance Initiative at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, testified before the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Business and Economic Development. The hearing included a discussion on the “Child Wealth Building...
How Increasing the Federal EITC and CTC Could Affect State Taxes
The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 increased the federal earned income tax credit (EITC) and child tax credit (CTC). In turn, 28 states and the District of Columbia will see increases in their state EITCs because of existing linkages between federal and state tax codes. We estimate that...
How Broad Are State Sales Tax Bases?
This chartbook compares the breadth of general sales and excise tax bases across the states. It categorizes detailed personal consumption expenditures (as measured in the Bureau of Economic Analysis National Income and Products Accounts) by their tax treatment in each state and the District of...
State Tax and Economic Review, 2020 Quarter 3
States reported robust revenue growth in the third quarter of 2020, a reversal of steep declines in the second quarter that mostly reflects shifting income tax filing deadlines. Over a six-month period (April through September 2020), state revenues declined 2.0...
State and Local Government Revenues and Racial Disparities
The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing recession, as well as racial injustices and protest responses throughout 2020, have highlighted that public policies can have very different impacts on populations by race or ethnicity. Tax policies, in particular, are commonly perceived as “race neutral,”...
Extending the California Earned Income Tax Credit to Postsecondary Students
Postsecondary education can be a critical step toward financial independence. Total college costs in California may present an extraordinary financial burden. For students with incomes under $30,000 in California, the cost of attendance at public universities (after accounting for existing grant...
State Tax and Economic Review, 2020 Quarter 2
States saw steep declines in revenues in the second quarter of 2020, though some of this was caused by shifting revenues into the next quarter and next fiscal year. Consequently, most states ended fiscal year 2020 uncertain about their fiscal bottom line. Many states cut...