2014 election

Who Won the Election Again?

Pardon me for being confused. Two weeks ago, voters turned the Senate and several state houses over to Republicans and increased the GOP majority in the House. Now, in a new Wall Street Journal -NBC News pol l, (firewall) Americans have firmly embraced—a Democratic agenda. They want more government

November 20, 2014Howard Gleckman

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

Voters Hate Gas Tax Hikes—That's a Problem for States

On Election Day, Massachusetts voters proved once again that increasing the gas tax is a political loser . And that's a problem. As I explain in a new Tax Policy Center brief , the federal government and most states have per-unit gas taxes. That is, they tax the number gallons purchased, not the

November 6, 2014Richard C. Auxier

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

Did Tax Hikes Doom Governors? Did Tax Cuts Elect Them?

At first glance, the message was pretty clear: If you were a governor who cut taxes, you probably got reelected on Tuesday. If you were a governor who raised taxes (or even a candidate who worked for one) you probably lost. It was true in deep red states like Kansas where, against all odds, Sam

November 6, 2014Howard Gleckman

Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

The Day After the 2014 Election: Six Things To Watch In the New GOP Congress

Republicans had a very good day yesterday. But can they translate their ballot-box success into a positive legislative agenda? It won’t be easy but here are six clues: Mitch McConnell : He is a brilliant legislative tactician. We know he’ll use those skills to try to outmaneuver Democratic Leader

November 5, 2014Howard Gleckman

State and Local Issues: TaxVox

Ahead of the Midterms, State Economic Trends Present Mixed Signals

Voters say the economy is the most important issue in the upcoming election. But as the most recent State Economic Monitor reports, the economy looks very different depending on what (and what state) you're analyzing. And polls suggest that voters faced with these mixed messages may focus on other

October 17, 2014Richard C. Auxier