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California, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, and Wisconsin have all experienced better than expected revenue growth over the past few months. This is unambiguously good news, but for many lawmakers it’s unfortunately an excuse to ditch any restraint on tax-cutting.
California
In California, stronger-than-expected revenue growth has made the GOP even more vocal in opposing efforts to extend a variety of temporary income, sales, and vehicle tax increases. Governor Jerry Brown’s continued push to extend these tax hikes is very sensible given that the unanticipated revenue boost was still quite small compared to the state’s total budget.
Brown has behaved much less sensibly, however, in deciding to abandon efforts to end a variety of business tax credits. As Jean Ross of the California Budget Project points out, “One of the virtues of the original budget was that there was some level of shared sacrifice. But now, some businesses are going to come out ahead of where they were last year.”
Delaware
In Delaware, a surprise bump in revenue collections has inspired the state’s Democratic Governor, and a number of Republican legislators, to begin pushing for tax cuts.
Specifically, the Governor has proposed cutting taxes for banks, businesses, and individuals with taxable incomes of over $60,000.
In reference to the windfall that banks would receive under the Governor’s plan, Rep. John Kowalko argues that “They do pretty damn well with the federal handouts … I want to see a return on the investment before I will blindly vote on that.”
Michigan
In Michigan, better-than-expected revenue growth in the current fiscal year may be used to reduce cuts in school spending that are currently under consideration.
Any unexpected revenue growth in subsequent fiscal years, however, will be swallowed up by the massive business tax cuts that Michigan’s legislature passed last week.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, unanticipated revenue growth is expected to be used by Governor Chris Christie as yet another excuse for doling out billions in corporate tax breaks.
As New Jersey Policy Perspective points out, however, “the state remains stuck in a very deep hole … even with that growth, the state’s revenue collections would still be $3.4 billion less than was collected in FY2008, the year prior to the recession … the state must choose to invest these revenues wisely, using the money to restore the devastating cuts made to services and to pay into the state pension system.”
Oregon
In Oregon, unexpected revenue growth will likely be used to restore cuts to human services and public safety, at least in the short term. By 2013, however, the state’s “kicker” law will probably require that some amount of revenue growth be dedicated to tax cuts.
As Rep. Phil Barnhart points out, “Because this budget is so bad, we don’t take care of schoolchildren, basic health issues and maintaining prisons — and we have a kicker at the end … We are stuck with this kicker law when we really need to spend some of this money on the budget.”
Wisconsin
Finally, in Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker has stubbornly refused to adapt to changing conditions on the ground. If Walker gets his way, $1 billion will still be slashed from public schools, despite the state’s recently improved revenue picture.