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Why Tax Revision Is an Inexact Science
Several governors are looking at increases in the cigarette tax to make up for other tax reductions they want to enact. (AP) When Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton announced a wide-ranging tax plan last month, he said that the changes would net the state $2 billion over the next two years. That number wouldn’t exist, however, if it […]
Ohio Redistricting Overhaul Gains Support
Republicans controlled the redrawing of legislative and congressional district lines in Ohio over the last two years and, as the 2012 elections proved, that power paid off. Sometime soon, though, Ohio Republicans may help ensure that they never have that power again. The Ohio Senate voted 32 to 1 in December to create a new commission […]
As Legislatures Become More Partisan, Nebraska Holds Out
Nebraska state Senator Brad Ashford of Omaha speaks to the legislature in Lincoln. © AP LINCOLN, Nebraska — If Brad Ashford were a state senator almost anywhere, the step he took in the waning days of 2011 might have foreclosed any hope for future legislative accomplishments. Saying the Republican Party here was no longer the […]
Seniors Are New Target for Tax Increases
In December, after nine months, fifteen meetings and countless hours of discussion and debate, Kentucky’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform finally settled on a list of 54 recommendations for overhauling the state’s tax code. The proposals from the special panel included everything from revenue-raising measures such as higher cigarette taxes and limits on itemized […]
Brownback’s Dilemma: How to Balance the Kansas Budget After Massive Tax Cuts
Kansas State Capitol (Getty) In 2012, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback succeeded in winning large income tax cuts for individuals and small businesses, a victory that conservatives nationally hailed as a model for fiscal and economic policy. In 2013, Brownback might well ask for a tax increase — or at least something that looks a lot […]
Economic Development Agencies Face New Scrutiny
© 2009 National Geographic Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (Getty) Several states, most of them led by Republican governors, have experimented in recent years with the idea of turning their economic development agencies over to semi-private management. The results have not been uniformly successful. Many of these organizations are struggling to balance job creation with public […]
Congress Likely to Postpone Online Sales Tax Collection
Federal legislation that would allow states to make online retailers collect sales taxes has bipartisan support in Congress and among state officials. It even has the support of Amazon, by far the nation’s largest online retailer, in addition to backing from traditional retailers such as Wal-Mart. What it doesn’t have, it appears, is a chance […]
Bullet Tax Proposal Is New Twist in Gun-Control Debate
The Newtown, Connecticut school shooting has reactivated many familiar gun-control measures at both the state and federal level, from assault weapons bans to universal background checks for gun purchasers. But it’s also inspiring some new or mostly new ideas, including one in Connecticut: a hefty tax on bullets. The Hartford Courantreported last week that two […]
Maine Tax Cuts May Outlive Republican Rule
Democrats won back control of the Maine House and Senate from Republicans last month in part with a message on taxes. They campaigned against the tax cuts the Republican-led legislature enacted in 2011, the largest tax cut in Maine history, arguing they were a giveaway to the wealthy. Yet, despite Democrats’ victories, there are signs […]
Tax Breaks for Sale: Transferable Tax Credits Explained
The motion picture industry is a major recipient of transferable tax credits offered as an economic development tool in states throughout the country. (Patti Perret/CBS via Getty Images) When Danny Bigel was a film producer, one of his biggest headaches had nothing to do with pampered actors, finicky directors or the fickle movie-going public. Instead, […]
Bipartisan Coalition Takes Washington Senate From Democrats
Voters in Washington State last month elected a state Senate with 26 Democrats and 23 Republicans. But starting next month, those Republicans will serve in the chamber’s majority after a coup Monday (December 10) that will bring a bipartisan coalition to power. Two centrist Democratic senators, Rodney Tom and Tim Sheldon, announced they had banded […]
One-Party Control Comes with Power and Peril
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signs bills into law as legislators look on.(AP Photo/Ed Andrieski) As mayor of Denver, John Hickenlooper’s signature achievement was persuading more than 30 mayors in the metropolitan area to agree to a new rail transit system. As a candidate for governor, rather than run negative ads against his opponents, the Democrat’s first ad […]