TaxVox: State and local budgets

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The voices of Tax Policy Center's researchers and staff

State and Local Issues

States Can Help Reduce the Burdens of Harmful Fines and Fees. Here’s How.

September 27, 2022 –
Thanks to surging tax revenues and an unprecedented infusion of federal aid, many states cut taxes over the past two years by lowering individual income tax rates, expanding tax credits, or sending one-time checks to residents. But there is another way states can use these funds: reduce or eliminate some local criminal legal fines and fees.
State and Local Issues

States Forecast Weaker Revenue Growth Ahead of Growing Uncertainties

April 19, 2022 –
Just as state governors and legislators are figuring out how to spend their unexpected budget surpluses, global events could wipe out much of those gains...

The Winners and Losers of Rising Oil Prices

April 1, 2022 –
With gasoline prices spiking, many state legislatures are debating whether to suspend gas taxes in an effort to provide some relief to consumers. But higher...
State and Local Issues

Five Reasons Why States Should Proceed with Caution Despite Soaring Revenues

February 8, 2022 –
Two years into the pandemic, states are flush with cash, a vastly different picture than the 20 percent revenue decline suffered by states in the...
State and Local Issues

Public Safety or Speed Traps? The Conflicts of Interest Behind Fines and Fees

January 13, 2022 –
If you have ever been issued a speeding ticket, you probably grumbled about the government using you as a piggy bank. In our new research...
Federal Budget and Economy

Lessons from the 2009 Recovery Act for an Inclusive Recovery from the Pandemic

December 14, 2021 –
The federal government and many state and local governments are placing equity at the forefront of their pandemic relief efforts. But to effectively follow through...
State and Local Issues

What States Can Learn from the District of Columbia’s EITC Expansion

August 23, 2021 –
Bigger State EITCs Are Simple, Affordable, and Effective Currently, 28 states offer their own EITC . (Missouri and Washington State will join the list in...
State and Local Issues

State Tax Limitations Inhibit Public School Funding And Educational Equity

August 19, 2021 –
As the first day of school approaches, remember that the quality of a child’s education is largely determined by where their public school is located...
State and Local Issues

What Do State Budget Officials Think About Taxes In The COVID-19 Era?

July 21, 2021 –
While state budgets are recovering along with the US economy, state fiscal policymakers remain cautious about the post COVID-19 future, according to a survey by...

Treasury Will Allow States to Take ARP Funds and Cut Taxes, With Some Guardrails

May 13, 2021 –
On Monday, the U.S. Treasury Department released much-anticipated guidance for the American Recovery Plan ’s (ARP) $350 billion in direct state and local aid ,...