Mary Peck
States Consider Raising Legal Age For Tobacco

At least 11 states have considered measures this session mimicking Hawaii’s newly implemented law that raises the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products to 21, according to LexisNexis State Net ’s legislative database. California’s...

Mary Peck
GOP Backlash Against KS Gov’s Proposed Budget Fixes

Last month Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) proposed three options for closing his state’s projected $290 million budget hole: borrow against expected future proceeds from the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement, delay making a $100 million payment...

Mary Peck
In CA Rich Getting Richer, Paying More Income Taxes

Nearly 90 percent of the income tax revenue California collected in 2013 came from the top one-fifth of earners, those making $91,000 or more. And 45 percent of the state’s income tax revenue came from the top 1 percent of earners, those with an...

Mary Peck
‘Sin Taxes’ Losing Luster?

Since 2000, 20 states have raised their cigarette taxes, with Louisiana becoming the latest to do so on April 1. And over a dozen states have expanded gambling since the Great Recession. But as states have become more reliant on so-called “sin taxes”...

Mary Peck
Budgets In Brief - May 2 2016

Internet Tax Bill Advances in OK The OKLAHOMA Senate passed an amended version of HB 2531 last month that will require out-of-state companies to provide Oklahoma customers a statement at the end of the year indicating the amount of their purchases...