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State Budgets Lean on Property Sales, Leases
Photo courtesy of the Arizona Governor’s office The Arizona House of Representatives’ office, one of the buildings the state is considering selling as part of a sale-leaseback program to raise cash, would cost a private owner more than $18 million. Lawmakers would continue to occupy the building as the state leases it from the new […]
States Forgive Penalties, Reap Late Taxes
State legislators looking for extra money to balance their budgets are historically quick to forgive penalties for tax delinquents, provided they pay their back taxes during these amnesty periods. Twelve states are offering programs this year, including two – Hawaii and Oregon – that are holding amnesties for the first time. First enacted in Arizona […]
Sales Tax Breaks Erode State Revenues
As shoppers in 15 states rush to buy tax-free clothing and school supplies this August, some lawmakers are experiencing buyer’s remorse: Their “sales-tax holidays” are pinching revenues at a time when state coffers are hurting. Nearly all of the states offering sales tax breaks this month estimated they could miss out on millions of dollars […]
Stimulus Eases Community College Troubles
States are digging into their federal stimulus money to help finance community colleges, where rising tuition, soaring enrollment and budget cuts threaten to shut students out of the system. But the $144 billion in stimulus money for state and local fiscal relief won’t make up for budget cuts in every state. Miami Dade College , […]