States adopt a variety of budget practices to help define spending priorities and influence fiscal outcomes. However, not all budget practices achieve the desired fiscal objectives, and some practices may compromise states’ long-term fiscal sustainability. This report discusses evidence from the...
Debt limits are provisions that limit a state’s ability to take on new debt or debt service. This fact sheet describes the different rules that states use to limit debt and reviews evidence on how debt limits affect fiscal outcomes.
Although most states produce a budget annually, 20 states produce a budget every other year for the upcoming two fiscal years, or biennially. This fact sheet describes the budget process and reviews the evidence on how annual and biennial budgeting, as well as the line item veto, affect fiscal...
Supermajority budget rules require a state to obtain more than a majority vote of the legislature, typically two-thirds or three-fifths of the votes, to pass a budget bill. This fact sheet reviews evidence on how supermajority budget rules affect fiscal outcomes, such as late budgets and...
Fluctuations in state revenue, especially unexpected ones, can compromise state services and contribute to overall fiscal instability. This fact sheet discusses the causes of state revenue volatility and how state tax and budget policy can either contribute to, or mitigate, it.
States use different methods to estimate how much revenue they will have available to spend in future years. This fact sheet describes different approaches to revenue forecasting and presents recommendations on how to improve forecasting accuracy and transparency.
Budget stabilization funds (BSFs), also known as rainy day funds, allow states to set aside surplus revenue for times of unexpected revenue shortfall or budget deficit. This fact sheet describes how BSF rules vary across states and reviews evidence on how they affect savings and volatility.
Tax and expenditure limits (TELs) are self-imposed restrictions that state governments create to restrict the amount they can tax or spend. This fact sheet describes how TELs vary across states and discusses evidence on whether TELs achieve their objective of restraining government growth.
To help analysts craft next year’s state budgets, and to help reporters explain them and the public understand them, we compiled the Urban Institute’s and the Tax Policy Center’s best state-focused research in one place. The research in this compendium will help analysts better evaluate agency...
A longstanding concern of state and local governments is that a federal value-added tax (VAT) could severely limit their reliance on sales taxes as a major source of revenue. This concern is too narrowly focused; a federal VAT could affect revenues from other sources and spending more than sales...
Sustainable Budgeting in the States: Evidence on State Budget Institutions and Practices
States adopt a variety of budget practices to help define spending priorities and influence fiscal outcomes. However, not all budget practices achieve the desired fiscal objectives, and some practices may compromise states’ long-term fiscal sustainability. This report discusses evidence from the...
Debt Limits
Debt limits are provisions that limit a state’s ability to take on new debt or debt service. This fact sheet describes the different rules that states use to limit debt and reviews evidence on how debt limits affect fiscal outcomes.
The Budget Cycle and Line-Item Veto
Although most states produce a budget annually, 20 states produce a budget every other year for the upcoming two fiscal years, or biennially. This fact sheet describes the budget process and reviews the evidence on how annual and biennial budgeting, as well as the line item veto, affect fiscal...
Supermajority Budget and Tax Rules
Supermajority budget rules require a state to obtain more than a majority vote of the legislature, typically two-thirds or three-fifths of the votes, to pass a budget bill. This fact sheet reviews evidence on how supermajority budget rules affect fiscal outcomes, such as late budgets and...
Revenue Volatility
Fluctuations in state revenue, especially unexpected ones, can compromise state services and contribute to overall fiscal instability. This fact sheet discusses the causes of state revenue volatility and how state tax and budget policy can either contribute to, or mitigate, it.
Revenue Forecasting Practices
States use different methods to estimate how much revenue they will have available to spend in future years. This fact sheet describes different approaches to revenue forecasting and presents recommendations on how to improve forecasting accuracy and transparency.
Budget Stabilization Funds
Budget stabilization funds (BSFs), also known as rainy day funds, allow states to set aside surplus revenue for times of unexpected revenue shortfall or budget deficit. This fact sheet describes how BSF rules vary across states and reviews evidence on how they affect savings and volatility.
Tax and Expenditure Limits
Tax and expenditure limits (TELs) are self-imposed restrictions that state governments create to restrict the amount they can tax or spend. This fact sheet describes how TELs vary across states and discusses evidence on whether TELs achieve their objective of restraining government growth.
Prepping for the 2018 Legislative Session
To help analysts craft next year’s state budgets, and to help reporters explain them and the public understand them, we compiled the Urban Institute’s and the Tax Policy Center’s best state-focused research in one place. The research in this compendium will help analysts better evaluate agency...
Effects of a Federal Value-Added Tax on State and Local Government Budgets
A longstanding concern of state and local governments is that a federal value-added tax (VAT) could severely limit their reliance on sales taxes as a major source of revenue. This concern is too narrowly focused; a federal VAT could affect revenues from other sources and spending more than sales...