Taxes
Food prices are high. To help, states are cutting the grocery tax.
The number of states that still tax groceries is shrinking. Voters in two states will decide in November whether to join a movement away from the sales tax.
Could a $1,000 “baby bonus” help people afford to have children?
A New York state senator has floated the idea. Payments for newborns have reduced poverty elsewhere, but are a novel idea in the Empire State.
Ballot questions tackle high property taxes that come with rising home values
Colorado’s new cap on property tax revenue isn’t enough for some activists. Conservatives elsewhere agree.
A bigger child tax credit isn’t coming. The Senate just voted against it.
The bill, which passed the House earlier this year, would have aided 16 million children. But Senate Republicans said it could disincentivize work and hand the election to Democrats.
A tweak to the tax code could break “honest graft” and fix the housing crisis
COMMENTARY | Antiquated tax policies have long rewarded speculators who sit on vacant land and penalized landowners who build something on it. A land value tax could change that.
Data centers demand a massive amount of energy. Here’s how some states are tackling the industry’s impact.
As the draw on the grid from these computer warehouses undergoes explosive growth, states that offer tax exemptions to support the industry are considering whether their approach still makes sense.
Governments, get your refundable tax credits here
COMMENTARY | The Inflation Reduction Act includes green tax credits that state and local agencies can use on clean energy vehicles, infrastructure and renewable energy projects.
After several years of rapid growth, state budgets are downsizing
For most states, 2025 represents a return to more typical economic conditions after an atypical period for their budgets.
States, cities consider ‘mansion taxes’ to fund affordable housing
From sales taxes to real estate transfer taxes, governments are desperately trying to identify dedicated funding tracts for homelessness and housing initiatives.
Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might
More states could follow Colorado and Minnesota in putting a fee on retail deliveries.
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$1 trillion a year in tax breaks goes out the door. Are states keeping track?
A new report from the Volcker Alliance highlights the lack of transparency around tax expenditures, and calls on states to better monitor whether the tax breaks are achieving their intended effects.
In tax code ruling, U.S. Supreme Court declined to open ‘Pandora's box’
Justices sided with the government, avoiding a decision that could have upended the tax code and cost state and local governments trillions of dollars.
The great Salt Lake City tax tradeoff
In a few weeks, the city council will be voting on a 0.5% sales tax to support economic development downtown. But it’s not the money that is drawing all the attention, it’s what the city is giving up.
What makes a city ideal for office-to-housing conversions?
It’s the state and local leaders who can work creatively with restrictive building codes and tax incentives, one expert says.
More cities are seeing budget gaps: Here’s what not to do
A growing number of cities are having to make tough decisions this spring in order to balance next year’s budgets.
California is about to tax guns more like alcohol and tobacco—and that could put a dent in gun violence
COMMENTARY | Gun deaths and injuries aren’t just tragic—they’re expensive, too.
State, local govs crack down on menthol cigarettes by pumping prices up
Setting minimum retail prices and increasing taxes can help officials address public health concerns surrounding menthol cigarettes.
As property tax bills rise, states look for long-term solutions
Lawmakers in the Mountain West seek to provide permanent tax relief without harming local revenue.
New Maryland law enables local jurisdictions to impose higher taxes on vacant properties
The legislation aims to reduce the number of lots and houses that sit vacant for years on end in an effort to solve the state's affordable housing shortage.
Virginia's 'tech tax' ignites debate on business taxes
Many states are extending sales tax to digital services, but the Virginia Senate’s attempt to expand it to cover business-to-business transactions raised eyebrows.
