Archives: Tax Reform / Articles

Archives: Tax Reform / Articles (page 7)

  • Minnesota State of the State image

    Minnesota State of the State

    Governor Mark Dayton delivered his final State of the State address in a largely optimistic tone declaring, “Our number one priority should be tax fairness for individual Minnesotans and their…

  • New Mexico State of the State: Governor Applauds Economic Diversification and Pushes for Comprehensive Tax Reform image

    New Mexico State of the State: Governor Applauds Economic Diversification and Pushes for Comprehensive Tax Reform

    The governor’s proposals for comprehensive tax reform, economic diversification, infrastructure spending prioritization, and education reform can generate longer-term opportunities. However, additional changes are needed. The state’s tort system and worker’s compensation costs remain economic drags. The relative lack of tax and expenditure limits and 8th highest number of state employees per capita contribute to a bloated state government.

  • Alaska State of the State: Governor Calls for Expanded Energy Production along with Higher Taxes image

    Alaska State of the State: Governor Calls for Expanded Energy Production along with Higher Taxes

    Governor Walker's wholehearted support for a continued energy production renaissance, energy infrastructure development, and expanded international trade bode well for an Alaskan economic rebound. However, the continued advocacy for income taxes and sales taxes combined with lack of acknowledgement of much-needed operational reforms threatens to negatively counter those pro-growth actions.

  • Wyoming State of the State: Fiscal Soundness Despite Setbacks in Energy Sector of Economy image

    Wyoming State of the State: Fiscal Soundness Despite Setbacks in Energy Sector of Economy

    Wyoming enjoys the 8th best economic outlook in the nation, according to Rich States, Poor States. This outlook has failed to translate into performance largely due to numerous macroeconomic factors and regulatory measures. The governor’s commitment to state regulatory reform, bureaucratic downsizing, and budget reform has resulted in the state weathering this storm with a strong balance sheet and low taxes. Rather than resort to higher taxes or centrally planned economic development, the continuation of a business-friendly climate is needed to incentivize further diversification and future growth of the economy.

  • Utah State of the State: Acting Today with the Future in Mind image

    Utah State of the State: Acting Today with the Future in Mind

    Even with the modest changes to property taxes and a possible increase in the gas tax, Utah’s overall pro-business status remains unrivaled. Economic growth and jobs growth over 10 years are 5th highest and 3rd highest, respectively. Perhaps Utah has indeed “become that shining city on a hill for our nation.”

  • Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf’s Calls for Progress with “a Push” image

    Pennsylvania Gov. Wolf’s Calls for Progress with “a Push”

    Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s Budget Address contained a strong undercurrent of authoritarianism. Progress, as defined by the governor’s dictionary, can sometimes “require a push.” Agenda items within the speech reveal…

  • Washington State of the State: Governor Inslee Repeats Demand for Destructive Carbon Tax image

    Washington State of the State: Governor Inslee Repeats Demand for Destructive Carbon Tax

    In addition to a massive carbon tax, Governor Inslee called for workforce development initiatives, healthcare regulations, and myriad new social regulations. In aggregate, this big government agenda would impede the business climate and economic growth of the state.

  • Connecticut Rises to 40th Place, But Not For the Reason You Might Expect image

    Connecticut Rises to 40th Place, But Not For the Reason You Might Expect

    For the first time since 2011, Connecticut has escaped the bottom 10 of the 11th edition of the Rich States, Poor States ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index…

  • New Hampshire State of the State Address image

    New Hampshire State of the State Address

    One of the youngest governors in the nation, Governor Chris Sununu, recently delivered his second State of the State address. He focused on New Hampshire’s unique strengths and commented,…

  • Rich States, Poor States 11th edition – Top 10 States image

    Rich States, Poor States 11th edition – Top 10 States

    The 11th edition of Rich States, Poor States is characterized by great movement in state economic performance and outlook as a result of federal tax reform and the resulting actions…

  • Voting with their feet image

    Voting with their feet

    The 11th edition of Rich States, Poor States is characterized by great movement in state economic performance and outlook as a result of federal tax reform and the resulting actions…

  • Rich States, Poor States 11th edition – Bottom 10 States image

    Rich States, Poor States 11th edition – Bottom 10 States

    The 11th edition of Rich States, Poor States is characterized by great movement in state economic performance and outlook as a result of federal tax reform and the resulting actions…

  • New Jersey Inauguration: Governor Murphy Claims the Moral High Ground in Bid to Expand Government image

    New Jersey Inauguration: Governor Murphy Claims the Moral High Ground in Bid to Expand Government

    Governor Murphy failed to recognize that those on the other side of the aisle may share the same ultimate policy outcome goals—justice, fairness, and growth—albeit with far different policy preferences. This threatens to block pragmatic bipartisan progress on numerous pressing issues.

  • Governor Malloy Redefines “Fair” image

    Governor Malloy Redefines “Fair”

    In his final state of the state address, Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy sidestepped the majority of the fiscal and economic issues plaguing the state in favor of paying lip service…

  • The Williams Report image

    The Williams Report

    Budget National: S&P finds tariffs could hurt state, city budgets Alabama: The Alabama Senate delivers a general fund budget to the governor’s office. Alaska: To avert shutdown…

  • Online Sales Tax: Crushing Small Business image

    Online Sales Tax: Crushing Small Business

    Hardworking individual and business taxpayers deserve protection from out-of-state tax collectors and regulators. The United States Constitution, as well as subsequent rulings from the United States Supreme Court, such as…

  • Colorado State of the State:  Hickenlooper’s Pursuit of Taxes image

    Colorado State of the State: Hickenlooper’s Pursuit of Taxes

    The governor is right that “by almost any measure, we’ve become one of the best places for business in America.” But expanding crony capitalism and increasing the tax burden make maintaining this coveted status more difficult. Following five consecutive years in the top 10 for economic outlook in Rich States, Poor States, Colorado dropped to 16th in 2013 and has failed to fully recover. A sharpened focus on regulatory reform and pension reform are required to guarantee continued success in the Centennial State.

  • Kansas State of the State: Gov. Brownback Resists Tax Hikes, Calls for Constitutional Amendment on Ed Financing image

    Kansas State of the State: Gov. Brownback Resists Tax Hikes, Calls for Constitutional Amendment on Ed Financing

    The governor’s rejection of a tax increase is welcomed news for taxpayers. Just last year, legislators overrode his veto in order to enact an enormous tax increase of $1.2 billion over the next two years alone. This tax hike on individuals and businesses wiped out much of the tax reductions from the 2012 reforms. Avoiding a new tax increase, pushing for a voter-approved constitutional amendment on school financing, and demanding educational reforms will help avoid compounding the damage from last year’s tax hikes.  

  • The Williams Report image

    The Williams Report

    Budget Alabama: The Alabama Senate passed a $2 billion dollar general fund budget. The increase is due primarily to $51 million dollars of additional appropriations to the Department of…

  • Gov. Northam’s Inaugural Address: Light on Details but Open to Suggestions image

    Gov. Northam’s Inaugural Address: Light on Details but Open to Suggestions

    Virginia’s newly elected Governor Ralph Northam delivered his inaugural address on January 13th. Despite the governor’s history of supporting new and higher taxes, the governor…