Taxes
Covering topics such as bonds, cryptocurrency, federal aid and pensions.
For public officials who support equal opportunity, recent court rulings and other developments provide reasons for a little optimism.
Some mayors openly challenge federal actions while others pursue quiet cooperation to protect resources for their constituents.
Outdated assessment systems are opaque and structurally biased, leading to “data rot.” Local governments should invest in tools that make it easier for taxpayers to understand how their property is valued.
The state will need to reform its antiquated tax code, warily approach bond measures that tie the hands of policymakers, and get serious about spending oversight.
Gov. Bob Ferguson supports a proposed nearly 10 percent tax on incomes over $1 million.
State officials intentionally timed new limits on soda and candy purchases to begin on Ash Wednesday as part of a health-focused push.
As federal aid shrinks in 2026, wide disparities in sales tax reliance highlight the limits and risks of leaning more heavily on consumption taxes.
A market crash doesn’t seem imminent, but there are lessons for public financiers, pension funds and policymakers from collapses of the past.
With pandemic-era aid gone and long-term structural challenges looming, 2026 budget debates will test lawmakers’ ability to balance short-term gaps and future risk.
They should take steps to protect and boost their own revenues. And they should take a second look at their own tax cuts.
Billions of dollars are at stake. With new federal rules, it’s up to state lawmakers to ensure that programs like food stamps serve those in need without wasting taxpayer dollars.
It could signal major changes in compliance, grants and oversight for state and local governments. That’s happened in the past.
Unlike federal DOGE, the Montgomery County office doesn’t envision layoffs becoming part of its mission.
The federal Rural Health Transformation Program will grant $50 billion to states to expand access to health care. Here’s where state applications stand.
Taxes on alcohol, tobacco, gambling and cannabis produce a lot of revenue, but they raise questions of fairness.
In short, more clarity with less spectacle. Last year’s federal tax cuts won’t have much of an impact on state and local revenues, but tariff refund politics could be a fiscal wild card. And AI’s effects will be felt on several fronts.
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