Federal-State Issues
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Off the Charts Blog: In Case You Missed It...
May 24, 2013
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Ryan Budget Would Shift Substantial Costs To States and Localities
March 27, 2013
The budget that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan developed and the full House passed recently would cause federal support for services that state and local governments provide — schools, health care, clean water facilities, and law enforcement, for example — to decline precipitously over the next several years. … -
State Taxes on Inherited Wealth Remain Common:
Updated March 12, 2013
Taxes on inherited wealth are a traditional and common revenue source for states. Prior to the passage of the federal estate tax cut in 2001, every state levied an estate tax that allowed them to “pick up” a share of federal estate tax revenues. The state “pick-up” estate taxes did not increase total estate … -
Four Big Threats to State Finances Could Undermine Future U.S. Prosperity
February 14, 2013
Without adequate revenues, states and localities cannot continue providing public services like education, health care, and infrastructure that lay the groundwork for a prosperous future. But state revenue systems face four serious challenges. The most severe recession in seven decades blasted holes in state budgets from … -
Testimony of Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Before the House Education and Workforce Committee
February 5, 2013
Chairman Kline and ranking member Miller, I thank you for inviting me to testify today on issues directly in the wheelhouse of this committee: education, skills, and jobs. My testimony begins by looking at the current jobs situation with an emphasis on educational investments. I then discuss ways in which recent budget cuts are threatening the … -
States Can Opt Out of the Costly and Ineffective “Domestic Production Deduction” Corporate Tax Break
Updated January 31, 2013
Over the past few years, states have faced large budgets gaps caused by a dramatic decline in revenue collections since the start of the recession. One contributor to this fiscal crisis in many states has been a relatively new corporate tax break — one that in most states never even received a vote in the state legislature but … -
Fact Sheet: Reducing Federal Deficits Without a Significant Revenue Increase Would Shift Substantial Costs to States
December 6, 2012
If it fails to include significant new revenues, a major legislative package to shrink federal deficits would almost certainly make substantial cuts in federal funds that support states and localities. These cuts likely would force states and localities to reduce the quality and reach of their basic public systems — schools, clean … -
Deficit-Reduction Package That Lacks Significant Revenues Would Shift Very Substantial Costs to States and Localities
Updated December 5, 2012
If it fails to include significant new revenues, a major legislative package to shrink federal deficits would almost certainly make deep cuts in federal funds that support states and localities as they perform many basic public functions, including educating children, building roads and bridges, protecting public health, and providing law … -
New School Year Brings More Cuts in State Funding for Schools
Updated September 4, 2012
States have made steep cuts to education funding since the start of the recession and, in many states, those cuts deepened over the last year. Elementary and high schools are receiving less state funding in the 2012-13 school year than they did last year in 26 states, and in 35 states school funding now stands below 2008 levels … -
How Health Reform’s Medicaid Expansion Will Impact State Budgets
Revised July 25, 2012
Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled that states can choose whether to adopt the health reform law’s Medicaid expansion to cover low-income parents and other adults, some governors declared that they will forgo the expansion, claiming it would place a heavy financial burden on their states.[1] Claims that states will bear a … -
States Continue to Feel Recession’s Impact
Updated June 27, 2012
As a new fiscal year begins, the latest state budget estimates continue to show that states’ ability to fund services remains hobbled by slow economic growth. The budget gaps that states have had to close for fiscal year 2013, the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2012, total $55 billion in 31 states. That amount is smaller … -
“Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act” Would Impair Funding for Education, Health Care and Other State and Local Services
May 29, 2012
The proposed Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2011 would immediately and significantly reduce state and local tax collections, and these revenue losses would accelerate in the future. The Act (DGSTFA, S. 971/H.R. 1860) would restrict sharply the ability of state and local governments to levy sales and gross receipts taxes … -
What if Chairman Ryan’s Medicaid Block Grant Had Taken Effect in 2001?
April 20, 2012
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s proposal to convert Medicaid to a block grant, which the House recently passed as part of Chairman Ryan’s overall budget plan, would have cut federal Medicaid funds to most states by more than 35 percent by 2010 — and to several of them by more than 50 percent — if it had been … -
Out of Balance
April 18, 2012
The state budget gaps of the last five years led to $290 billion in cuts to public services and $100 billion in tax and fee increases. Those actions lengthened the recession and delayed the recovery. Because spending reductions were dominant, hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost; undermining education, health care and other state … -
Federal Government Will Pick Up Nearly All Costs of Health Reform’s Medicaid Expansion
Updated March 28, 2012
For updated data, view this report: How Health Reform’s Medicaid Expansion Will Impact State Budgets July 12, 2012 Claims that states will bear a significant share of the costs of the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) Medicaid expansion — and that this will place a heavy financial burden on states — do not hold up under scrutiny. … -
Testimony: Phil Oliff, Policy Analyst, Before the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee
February 14, 2012
Madam Chair, Vice Chair, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify here today. My name is Phil Oliff. I am a Policy Analyst with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The Center is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that conducts research and … -
Senate’s Balanced Budget Amendment Could Force Deep Cuts in Aid to States
December 14, 2011
The Republican-sponsored version of a constitutional balanced budget amendment, which the Senate voted on today, would require enormous federal budget cuts, very likely resulting in dramatic reductions in federal grants to states and localities for services ranging from education to highway maintenance to public safety. The attached … -
New School Year Brings Steep Cuts in State Funding for Schools
Updated October 7, 2011
To view the updated paper see: New School Year Brings More Cuts in State Funding for Schools Elementary and high schools are receiving less state funding than last year in at least 37 states, and in at least 30 states school funding now stands below 2008 levels – often far below. These cuts are attributable, in part, to the failure of the federal … -
Raising Medicare’s Eligibility Age Would Increase Overall Health Spending and Shift Costs to Seniors, States, and Employers
August 23, 2011
Raising Medicare's eligibility age from 65 to 67, which the new Joint Select Committee will likely consider this fall as a deficit-reduction measure, would not only fail to constrain health care costs across the economy; it would increase them. While this proposal would save the federal government money, it would do so by shifting costs … -
Proposed “Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act” Likely to do More Harm Than Good In Current Form
August 11, 2011
The Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2011 (S. 971/H.R. 1860) would regulate state and local taxation of downloaded music and movies and online services like photo storage and payroll processing. One section of the legislation — a set of so-called "sourcing rules" specifying which … -
Case for Regulating State and Local Taxation of Digital Goods and Services has Little Merit
August 11, 2011
A bill before Congress, the Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2011 or DGSTFA (S. 971/H.R. 1860), would regulate states' and localities' taxation of downloaded music, movies and online services like photo storage and payroll processing. Though proponents of the legislation claim that it is needed to … -
Camp-Hatch Proposal Would Harm Long-Term Unemployed and Weaken Recovery
June 13, 2011
Legislation from House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch would rescind the federal government’s commitment to provide unemployment insurance (UI) benefits through 2011 to Americans who have been out of work for more than half a year and are still looking for a job. Their bill … -
Federal “Business Activity Tax Nexus” Legislation: Half of a Two-Pronged Strategy to Gut State Corporate Income Taxes
Updated May 13, 2011
Major multistate corporations are engaged in a two-pronged lobbying strategy aimed at substantially increasing the share of their nationwide profit that is not taxed by any state. The strategy involves the enactment of complementary state and federal legislation. The state legislation — which corporations have already … -
Proponents' Case for a Federally-Imposed Business Activity Tax Nexus Threshold Has Little Merit
Updated April 27, 2011
A bill under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives would strip states of their current authority to tax a fair share of the profits of many corporations that are based out-of-state but do business within their borders. The Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Judiciary Committee held a … -
States Can Avert New Revenue Loss And Protect Their Economies by Decoupling From Federal Expensing Provision
Updated April 14, 2011
A recent change in federal tax law regarding business investment in machinery and equipment could be very costly for many states and hurt their economies. Eighteen states are on track to lose $4.6 billion in state corporate and individual income tax revenues during the current and next two state fiscal years: some … -
Proposed “Business Activity Tax Nexus” Legislation Would Seriously Undermine State Taxes on Corporate Profits And Harm the Economy
Updated April 13, 2011
A bill recently reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would strip states of their current authority to tax a fair share of the profits of many corporations that are based out-of-state but do business within their borders. Representative Bob Goodlatte reintroduced the “Business Activity Tax Simplification Act” … -
State and Local Governments Should Close Online Hotel Tax Loophole and Collect Taxes Owed
April 12, 2011
State and local governments throughout the United States are losing roughly $275 million to $400 million in revenue each year because of their failure to ensure that online travel companies like Expedia, Orbitz, and Priceline collect and remit the appropriate amount of tax on hotel room bookings. Online travel companies (OTCs) typically pay applicable … -
What if Ryan's Medicaid Block Grant Had Taken Effect in 2000?
April 12, 2011
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s radical proposal to convert Medicaid to a block grant, which the House will consider this week as part of Ryan’s sweeping budget plan, would have cut federal Medicaid funds to most states by more than 25 percent by 2009 and to several of them by more than 40 percent if it … -
Proposed Public Employee Pension Reporting Requirements Are Unnecessary
March 15, 2011
In February, Congressmen Devin Nunes and Darrell Issa (both California Republicans) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis) introduced legislation (H.R. 567) to require states and local governments to report their pension liabilities to the federal government using what is known as a “riskless rate” — an interest rate tied to … -
Press Release: State Unemployment Insurance Systems Need Major Reforms to Avoid Employer Tax Increases, Deep Benefit Cuts for Jobless Workers
February 9, 2011
Issued Jointly With Many states’ systems for financing unemployment insurance (UI) are broken and, without major reforms, will remain broken, requiring years of high federal taxes on employers and threatening UI’s role as a key economic stabilizer during recessions, according to a major new report … -
An Update on State Budget Cuts
Updated February 9, 2011
See the following reports for more up-to-date data: State Budget Cuts in the New Fiscal Year Are Unnecessarily Harmful, July 28, 2011 New School Year Brings Steep Cuts in State Funding for Schools, October 7, 2011 With tax revenue still declining as a result of the recession and budget reserves largely drained, the vast majority of states have … -
Rebuilding the Unemployment Insurance System: A Deficit-Neutral Plan That Limits Tax Increases and Maintains Benefits
February 8, 2011
Issued Jointly With The systems for financing unemployment insurance (UI) in many states are broken and, without major reforms, they will remain broken through this decade and beyond, requiring years of high federal taxes on employers and threatening the system’s role as a key economic stabilizer during … -
Business Expensing Proposal Would Add to State Fiscal Problems
Updated December 16, 2010
Notwithstanding the overall positive impacts that the tax deal between President Obama and Republican leaders would have for the economy in the near term, its provision to encourage business investment in machinery and equipment would cost states over $11 billion in state corporate and individual income tax revenues during the … -
Business Expensing Proposal Would Add to State Fiscal Problems
November 11, 2010
View more recent report with more up-to-date data: Business Expensing Proposal Would Add to State Fiscal Problems Updated December 16, 2010 President Obama’s proposed temporary tax incentive to encourage business investment in machinery and equipment would cost states up to $20 billion instate corporate and individual income tax revenues during … -
House GOP Leaders’ Plan Would Slash Funds for State and Local Services, Slow Economic Recovery
November 11, 2010
A proposal by House Republican leaders to cut non-security discretionary spending by more than 20 percent in fiscal year 2011 could reduce federal funding for programs operated by state and local governments by $32 billion, substantially reducing the ability of those governments to provide crucial services to millions of Americans. (See page … -
Some Recent Reports Overstate the Effect on State Budgets of the Medicaid Expansions in the Health Reform Law
October 21, 2010
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), states are required to expand their Medicaid programs to cover all non-elderly adults and children with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty line ($29,400 for a family of four) starting on January 1, 2014. According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the cost to states of … -
Conference: America's Fiscal Future
October 5, 2010
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To Avoid Looming Tax Increases for Employers and Likely Benefit Cuts for Unemployed Workers, Moratorium on State Interest Payments to Federal UI Trust Fund Needs to Be Extended
Updated September 13, 2010
To avoid tax increases for employers and benefit cuts for unemployed workers, which would damage the still-weak economic recovery, policymakers should extend a moratorium on the interest payments that state unemployment insurance (UI) trust funds must make to the federal government for the funds they borrow to pay … -
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
If Congress does not extend the enhanced Medicaid matching funds in last year’s Recovery Act, most states will cut public services or raise taxes for the fiscal year that begins July 1 by even more than they are already planning – laying off tens of thousands more teachers and other public employees, cutting education funding more … -
State-By-State Numbers: Critical Fiscal Relief at Stake In Tuesday’s House Vote
August 6, 2010
States stand to lose significant amounts of fiscal relief if legislation that the Senate approved yesterday, and the House is due to take up next week, fails to become law. The level of losses is shown on a state-by-state basis in the table below. Because of the long and deep recession, states have begun their third consecutive year … -
What States and the Economy Lost When the Senate Jobs Bill Failed
Updated June 24, 2010
The Senate’s failure to pass its version of jobs legislation, which would have extended federal assistance to states, will force the states – which are struggling with an unprecedented drop in revenues due to the recession – to make even deeper spending cuts and raise taxes even … -
Health Reform Is a Good Deal for States
Revised June 18, 2010
Contrary to claims that the health reform law’s Medicaid expansion will place an unaffordable burden on states, the federal government will shoulder nearly all of the cost of the expansion, which will cover 16 million low-income children and adults while raising state Medicaid spending by just 1.25 percent compared to … -
Premature End of Federal Assistance to States Threatens Education Reforms and Jobs
Updated May 25, 2010
Recovery Act assistance to states will largely run out this year, which could not only eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs and undermine basic education services but also impede education reform efforts. As Education Secretary Duncan recently told Congress, “We are gravely concerned that the kind of state and local budget … -
Stalled Estate Tax Proposal Could Threaten State Revenues that Support Education, Public Safety, and Other Key Services
May 20, 2010
A provision that several senators were reportedly considering for a now-stalled estate tax proposal could squeeze state revenues that support education, public safety, and other vital services to help cut taxes on the estates of the wealthiest one-quarter of 1 percent of Americans. The proposal, which several Senators (including Jon Kyl, Max … -
Budgetary Concerns Should Not Be An Obstacle to Passing the New Jobs Bill
Revised May 20, 2010
Congress is about to take up a jobs bill that will provide a needed boost to the economic recovery and help people still struggling to find work in a difficult labor market. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin today released a summary of … -
Podcast: Health Reform is a Good Deal for States
May 11, 2010
Policy Analyst, January Angeles, discusses how the Medicaid expansion in the new health reform law is a good deal for states. Duration: 3:58
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Podcast: State Budget Cuts Put Education Reforms at Risk
May 4, 2010
Nick Johnson, Director of the Center’s State Fiscal Project, discusses the risk that state budget problems will derail education reform. Duration: 4:58
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No Need to Wait Until 2014: States Can Cover Low-Income Adults in Medicaid Now
April 20, 2010
The new health reform law (the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA) includes a new minimum Medicaid eligibility standard that will allow millions of uninsured low-income adults to qualify for Medicaid. The new standard, which takes effect in January 2014, provides coverage for all otherwise eligible individuals with incomes … -
Governors’ New Budgets Indicate Loss of Many Jobs if Federal Aid Expires
Updated March 8, 2010
States face continued major budget problems, because of the steepest-ever decline in state revenues and the end of most federal Recovery Act assistance halfway through their coming fiscal year. As a result, governors are proposing a new round of deep budget cuts that would increase unemployment and threaten the fragile economic recovery. Without further federal aid, … -
Recession Threatens State Health Care Programs
March 4, 2010
In considering “jobs legislation” in the weeks ahead, Congress will decide whether to extend the temporary increase in federal support for state Medicaid programs that last year’s economic recovery legislation provided. Failure to do so would lead to deeper state budget cuts that cost substantial numbers of jobs, as well as … -
Additional Federal Fiscal Relief Needed to Help States Address Recession’s Impact
Updated March 1, 2010
States face a serious fiscal problem that could force them to institute additional deep budget cuts and tax increases in 2010, weakening the fragile economic recovery and harming vulnerable children, seniors, and people with disabilities, among others. The federal assistance that states received for their Medicaid programs … -
Press Release: Governors’ 2011 Budgets Propose New Round of Cuts
January 28, 2010
As states begin preparing for the third year of a fiscal crisis brought on by the recession, governors’ new budget proposals contain cuts to core services — like education and health care — and state workforces well beyond those they have already made, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The proposals … -
Podcast: State Budget Cuts and Tax Increases Put Fragile Economic Recovery at Risk
November 11, 2009
The risk that, without more federal aid, states efforts to address their budget problems could cost the economy 900,000 jobs is discussed by Bob Greenstein, Mark Zandi, chief economist of economy.com, and Senior Advisor Iris Lav.
Duration: 21:42
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Banning Taxation of Online Hotel Reservations Is Unwarranted and Could Cost States and Localities Billions of Dollars
Revised September 18, 2009
For the past two years, online travel companies like Expedia and Priceline have been seeking enactment of federal legislation that would ban state and local taxation of hotel room rentals when booked by such a company or by a conventional travel agent. Most recently, the legislation was circulated as a potential amendment to … -
Federal Fiscal Relief Is Working As Intended
Updated June 29, 2009
As dire as the states’ fiscal condition is — with dramatic revenue downturns leading in some cases to unprecedented service cuts — evidence shows this bad situation would be substantially worse if not for federal recovery assistance. The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act package enacted in February included about $140 billion for states … -
Obscure Tax Provision of Federal Recovery Package Could Widen State Budget Gaps
May 19, 2009
States could lose up to $5.5 billion in business income tax revenues over the next three years as a result of a little-known provision in the federal economic recovery package enacted in February. States can, however, easily avoid this revenue loss by making offsetting changes in their tax laws. For states to allow … -
Minority of States Still Granting Net Operating Loss “Carryback” Deductions Should Eliminate Them Now
Revised May 11, 2009
As a result of the current recession, nearly all states are experiencing the most serious fiscal crisis of at least the last 25 years. Many are already being forced to cut vital services, lay off employees, increase taxes and college tuitions, and tap reserves. In this context, they can ill-afford maintaining any … -
If States Fail to Use Stimulus Funds as Intended, Efforts to Strengthen Economy Could Be Undercut
February 24, 2009
A few governors and legislative leaders have suggested that their states might not accept the full amount of fiscal relief in the new recovery legislation or might use the funds to finance tax cuts or build up reserves, rather than spend them as Congress intended.[1] Such actions could weaken the new law’s impact, and possibly even … -
Funding For States in Economic Recovery Package Will Close Less Than Half of State Deficits
February 20, 2009
The state fiscal situation is dire. Revenues are declining, and the need for services such as Medicaid is rising as people lose income and jobs. Before passage of the economic stimulus package, state deficits were projected to equal $350 billion over the next 30 months. Because nearly all states are required to balance their budgets, states have begun to cut … -
Recovery Act Provides Much-Needed, Targeted Medicaid Assistance To States
February 13, 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes an $87 billion temporary increase in the share of Medicaid that the federal government would pay over nine calendar quarters (October 1, 2008, through December 31, 2010). It would provide three elements of Medicaid fiscal relief assistance to states, as outlined below.… -
Senate's Cuts to "Fiscal Stabilization Fund" Weaken Stimulus Value of the Economic Recovery Bill
February 10, 2009
Overview and Summary The House economic recovery bill includes a $79-billion “State Fiscal Stabilization Fund” to help state and local governments fund education and other key services. However, the Senate — as a result of the Collins-Nelson amendment — has reduced the amount of funding to $39 billion and … -
Video: Nicholas Johnson, Director of the Center's State Fiscal Project, speaks about state budget on CNN's Lou Dobbs
October 3, 2008
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House Stimulus Plan Effectively Targets Fiscal Relief to States
September 26, 2008
The House Leadership’s new stimulus proposal includes more than $14 billion in fiscal relief for states. This is designed to help states avert budget cuts and tax increases that they otherwise will have to institute to balance their budgets but that will make the economic downturn worse by withdrawing demand from the … -
Key Components of House and Senate Economic Recovery Packages Would Boost the Economy and Provide Needed Relief to Struggling Families
September 26, 2008
Congress is properly focused on designing an appropriate measure to address very serious problems in the financial markets, which many experts persuasively argue is essential to help avert a meltdown in the financial markets and a potentially severe recession. The problems in the financial sector, however, are not the only ones the … -
Property Tax Limitation in the Senate Housing Bill is Unnecessary, Impractical, and Likely to Cause Harm
June 23, 2008
Legislation that the Senate is considering in response to the ongoing foreclosure crisis (H.R. 3221) includes a provision that would allow non-itemizers to deduct property taxes up to an amount of $500 for an individual and $1,000 for a couple.[1] It would deny the deduction, however, to residents of any locality that raises its … -
Statement by Iris Lav, Deputy Director, on Provision in Bipartisan Senate Housing Package Affecting Local Property Taxes
April 3, 2008
While the Senate housing package would establish a new property tax deduction for non-itemizers, a little-noticed provision of the bill would deny the new deduction to any resident of a locality that raises its property tax rate between April 2 and next January 1. By preventing localities from … -
Administration’s Medicaid Regulations Will Weaken Coverage, Harm States, and Strain Health Care System
Revised March 4, 2008
Over the last year, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a series of Medicaid regulations that could significantly affect health care at the state and local level. [1] These regulations, most of which alter longstanding Medicaid policies, do not require congressional approval. In fact, in some cases Congress … -
Economic Data Can be Used to Target State Fiscal Relief Effectively
March 3, 2008
States are experiencing major budget problems; more than half faced or are projecting deficits for the 2009 fiscal year. To meet their balanced budget requirements, many states have had to raise taxes and/or cut expenditures for services such as health care and education — actions that deepen the nation’s economic problems and offset some of … -
New Federal Law Could Worsen State Budget Problems
Revised February 28, 2008
The federal “economic stimulus” package enacted on February 13 not only cuts federal taxes, but also threatens to reduce many states’ corporate and personal income tax revenue this year and next year. The potential revenue loss comes at a particularly problematic time for states, because about half the states … -
Federal Grants to States and Localities Cut Deeply in Fiscal Year 2009 Federal Budget
February 4, 2008
Grants to state and local governments have long been an important way in which the federal government supports and administers programs efficiently. The new budget, however, continues to significantly erode those grants. This leaves states and localities the option of either curtailing services or increasing their own taxes to … -
The Internet Tax Freedom Act and the "Digital Divide"
September 10, 2007
Congress is again considering whether to make the “Internet Tax Freedom Act” (ITFA) permanent. Enacted in 1998 and temporarily renewed in 2001 and 2004, ITFA banned new state and local taxes on “Internet access” services. States and localities were barred from imposing their sales taxes on the typical $10 to $50 monthly fee … -
Renewing the “Internet Tax Freedom Act” Could Have an Especially Adverse Impact on Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Texas
Revised August 31, 2007
Congress is again considering whether to renew the “Internet Tax Freedom Act” (ITFA). Enacted in 1998 and temporarily renewed in 2001 and 2004, ITFA banned new state and local taxes on “Internet access” services. The primary goal of the law was to bar states and localities from imposing their sales taxes on the … -
Making the “Internet Tax Freedom Act” Permanent Could Lead to a Substantial Revenue Loss for States and Localities
Revised August 30, 2007
On May 23 and July 26, 2007, the Senate Commerce Committee and the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law of the House Judiciary Committee, respectively, held hearings on the “Internet Tax Freedom Act” (ITFA). ITFA was enacted in 1998 and renewed in 2001 and 2004. The law generally bars state and local taxation … -
The Administration Again Proposes to Shift Federal Medicaid Costs to States
February 14, 2007
In its new budget, the Administration proposes cuts in federal Medicaid funding that total $24.7 billion over the next five years and $60.9 billion over ten years through a combination of legislative changes and regulatory action. [1] These reductions are more than five times as large over the next five years as the federal Medicaid cuts enacted by the Congress last year … -
Federal Grants to States and Localities Cut Deeply in Fiscal Year 2008 Federal Budget
February 6, 2007
Grants to state and local governments have long been an important way in which the federal government supports and administers programs efficiently. The new budget, however, continues to significantly erode those grants. This leaves states and localities the option of either curtailing services or increasing their own taxes to compensate for declining federal funds. … -
State Revenue Losses From the Federal "Domestic Production Deduction" Will Double in 2007
January 2, 2007
In 2004, the federal government created an entirely new corporate tax break that is costing not only the federal government but also 29 states a large, and growing, amount of money. Known as the “domestic production deduction,” the tax break allows many corporations to claim a tax deduction equal to a percentage of certain … -
Press Release: House to Consider Restricting States’ Authority to Tax Corporate Profits
July 24, 2006
A bill expected to reach the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives tomorrow would strip states of their authority to tax a fair share of the profits of many corporations that are headquartered out of state but do business within their borders. Under the bill (H.R. 1956, “The Business Activity Tax Simplification Act”), large amounts of … -
Proposed Discretionary Caps Would Hit States Hard
July 5, 2006
The Senate Budget Committee on June 20 approved legislation (S. 3521) crafted by Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) that would make a number of far-reaching changes in the federal budget process.[1] Included in the legislation, which the full Senate may consider this summer, are provisions that would establish … -
Estate Tax "Compromise" Proposals May Endanger State Estate and Inheritance Taxes
Revised June 23, 2006
On June 22, the House of Representatives approved an estate tax proposal introduced by House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas. While supporters of the proposal describe it as a “compromise,” it would in fact eliminate the vast bulk of estate tax revenue and has been more aptly characterized as “near repeal.… -
SCHIP Financing Update
June 5, 2006
The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), jointly financed by states and the federal government, provides comprehensive health insurance coverage to more than four million low-income children, most of whom would otherwise be uninsured.[1] In a prior analysis, we estimated that under current law, a number of states … -
Tax Cuts Proposed in President's Budget Would Ultimately Cause Large State Revenue Loses
March 16, 2006
When the federal government cuts taxes, those tax cuts sometimes cause reductions in state revenue as well. This occurs because most states with individual and/or corporate income taxes use the federal definitions of adjusted gross income and corporate income as the basis for their own income taxes. When a tax cut reduces the … -
The Administration’s Medicaid Proposals Would Shift Federal Costs To States
February 14, 2006
In its new budget, the Administration proposes net federal Medicaid funding cuts equal to $14 billion over the next five years and $35.5 billion over ten years through a combination of legislative changes and regulatory action. [1] These reductions follow on the heels of significant federal Medicaid cuts ($4.9 billion over five … -
Federal Grants to States and Localities Cut Deeply in Fiscal Year 2007 Federal Budget
February 7, 2006
Grants to state and local governments have long been an important way in which the federal government supports and administers programs efficiently. The new budget, however, continues to significantly erode those grants. This leaves states and localities the option of either curtailing services or increasing their own taxes to … -
Claims that Proposed Federal “Business Activity Tax Nexus” Bill Would Have a Negligible Impact on State Revenues Are False and Disingenuous
December 13, 2005
Background and Summary A bill under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives would strip states of authority they currently have to tax a fair share of the profits of many corporations that are based out of state but do business within their borders. H.R. 1956, the “Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of … -
Deep Cuts in Federal Grants in FY 2006 Budget Will Squeeze States and Localities
Revised February 9, 2005
Some of the spending austerity in the President’s budget is accomplished by passing down costs to other levels of government. This leaves states and localities the option of either curtailing services or increasing their own taxes to compensate for declining federal funds. … -
Press Release: Loss of Federal Funds From Eliminating Tenncare Would Offset State Savings and Injure State Economy
November 15, 2004
The possible elimination of Tennessee’s TennCare program, suggested by Governor Bredesen, would have far-reaching consequences for state residents that would reverberate far beyond the individuals who would be dropped from TennCare, a new report by the Center on Budget and Policy … -
The Potential Impact of Eliminating TennCare and Reverting to Medicaid: A Preliminary Analysis
November 15, 2004
On November 10, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen announced, “I have set in motion a process to dissolve TennCare and replace it with a traditional Medicaid program.”[1] The governor estimated that 430,000 low-income Tennesseans could lose TennCare coverage if the state eliminates the eligibility expansions … -
Connecting the Dots Federal Policies Are Worsening Wisconsin’s State and Local Budget Problems
October 6, 2004
Issued Jointly With Executive Summary At a time when state and local governments around the country struggle to overcome continuing budget shortfalls, the federal government is only making their jobs harder. Federal policies have contributed significantly to the fiscal crises in many states, including Wisconsin, by reducing state revenues … -
Press Release: Federal Policies Are Worsening Wisconsin’s State and Local Budget Problems
October 6, 2004
Issued Jointly With Federal policies have cost Wisconsin a net $2.4 billion since 2002, according to a report issued today by the Wisconsin Council on Children and Families and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington D.C.-based research and policy institute. Included in those policies are: Unfunded Mandates – … -
Administration's Medicaid Proposal Would Shift Fiscal Risks To States
Revised April 22, 2003
Developed Jointly With The Bush Administration’s fiscal year 2004 budget proposal appears to provide a modest amount of funding to help states meet Medicaid costs during this time of state fiscal crisis. This offer, however, comes with a major catch. States that opt for this fiscal relief would receive lower …
