State Budget and Tax
State-by-State Numbers: Critical Fiscal Relief Headed to States
Congress has passed a bill to extend much-needed federal assistance to states. Failure to extend the relief would have forced states to lay off more workers, cut more services, and raise taxes more than they would have otherwise to balance their budgets.
This analysis features estimates of the aid that each state will receive. Read more
Related:
- Chad Stone on July Employment Report: Statement | Podcast
- The Legacy of the Great Recession
Basics
State and local governments are the main source of funding for K-12 education, public colleges and universities, health care, transportation, public safety, and many other services — including services for low-income and other vulnerable residents. They finance these services mostly through taxes and fees, primarily income and sales taxes. (Not every state has an income and sales tax.) Unlike the federal government, states must balance their budgets on an annual basis.
- Policy Basics: The ABCs of State Budgets
- Where Do Our State Tax Dollars Go?
- Property Tax Caps
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Featured Experts
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Nicholas Johnson
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Iris Lav
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Michael Mazerov
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Elizabeth McNichol
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Jon Shure
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Robert Tannenwald
The Center’s State Fiscal Project works with state officials and state-based nonprofits to develop responsible budget and tax policies that take the needs of low-income families into account. We provide information and technical assistance on a variety of issues, including strengthening state tax systems, state budget priorities, and making low-income programs more effective. We also help state nonprofits understand how federal budget and tax decisions affect states and their residents.
New
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Video Clip: CNN Europe cites the Center on State Budget Gap Data
August 31, 2010
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Podcast: State Budget Crisis Continues Despite Surpluses
August 24, 2010
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New CBO Report Finds Up to 3.3 Million People Owe Their Jobs to the Recovery Act
Updated August 24, 2010
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Failing to Extend Fiscal Relief to States Will Create New Budget Gaps, Forcing Cuts and Job Loss in at Least 34 States
Revised August 13, 2010
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State-By-State Numbers: Critical Fiscal Relief at Stake In Tuesday’s House Vote
August 6, 2010
- More:
- View All By Date
Of Interest
Promoting State Budget Accountability Through Tax Expenditure Reporting
Expanding Sales Taxation of Services: Options and Issues
Pulling Apart: A State-by-State Analysis of Income Inequality
Budget Cuts or Tax Increases at the State Level: Which Is Preferable During an Economic Downturn?
The State Fiscal Analysis Initiative
The State Fiscal Analysis Initiative brings together nonpartisan, independent, nonprofit organizations in more than 30 states. These organizations have diverse backgrounds and missions, but they share a commitment to rigorous policy analysis, responsible budget and tax policies, a particular focus on the needs of low- and moderate-income families.
