How Healthy is Your State’s Rainy Day Fund?

Economic cycles can have significant impacts on state revenue, but states can prepare for the inevitable downturns during good times by putting away money in a revenue stabilization fund—or rainy day funds, as they’re often known. Funding levels and the actual names of these funds may vary from state to state, but rainy day funds…

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State and Local Funding Totals Under the CARES Act

State and local governments across the country split $150 billion in federal aid under a provision of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed on March 30th. The division of these dollars, made available through the new Coronavirus Relief Fund, has generated significant confusion. Here, we explain how the money is allocated,…

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FAQ on Federal Coronavirus Relief Bill (CARES Act)

Congress’s latest coronavirus relief package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, is the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history and will allocate $2.2 trillion in support to individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic and economic downturn. Many people have questions about how the new law impacts their families and businesses. The Basics…

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Retroactive SALT Repeal Combines Weak Stimulus with Bad Tax Policy

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has suggested that a retroactive repeal of the cap on State and Local Tax (SALT) deductions should be included in any future stimulus plans. Pelosi’s office has reportedly suggested that this would be tailored towards middle-income households as part of an effort to stimulate the economy. This is far from…

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Gas Tax Revenue to Decline as Traffic Drops 38 Percent

The coronavirus pandemic is affecting most aspects of the economy, and motor fuel consumption is no exception. As social distancing recommendations, shelter-in-place-orders, and quarantines have upended American life in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, road traffic has declined dramatically around the country. While the mitigation policies will be felt across most…

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