Quick Hits in State News: ITEP Testifies in Maryland, and More

The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) testified this week in favor of a bill that would reinstate Maryland’s recently expired “millionaires’ tax.”  As ITEP explains in its testimony, the millionaires’ tax would make the state’s regressive tax system slightly less unfair.  And despite predictable claims from the anti-tax crowd, there’s no reason to think that the tax would harm the state’s economy.

Confirming our fears, it looks like Idaho lawmakers’ plan to cut taxes for the wealthiest and businesses in Idaho is moving forward. Legislation to reduce the top income tax rate passed out of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.  In more bad Idaho news, it will not be joining the ranks of states with an Amazon tax this year as the bill failed to gain enough support.

It’s only March, yet Sales Tax Holiday season is already rearing its head. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley supports a “storm gear” holiday in advance of tornado season.  Lawmakers in Georgia are combining a sales tax holiday (bad idea) with a proposal to require online retailers to start collecting sales taxes from Peach State e-shoppers (good idea) in an effort “to kill any talk that a tax increase is afoot.”  And, Florida House members have already approved another year of a back to school tax holiday planned for August. 

ITEP’s Who Pays study was cited in an Associated Press article about heroic efforts to start taxing capital gains and other reforms in Washington State.  Because Washington has no personal or corporate income tax, and instead relies heavily on sales taxes, it has the most regressive tax system in the country.  At a press conference this week in support of the capital gains tax, Rep. Laurie Jinkins said, “Our fundamental problem in this state, in terms of revenue long term, has to do with fairness, adequacy of resources and stability of the resources that we bring into this state.”