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Archive - Budget and Taxes
Review of Juvenile Services Budget
Funding for Current Operations But Not for Significant Reforms 2/13/08
The Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute and the maryland Advocates for Children and Youth have joined forces to prepare a review of the proposed budget for the Department of Juvenile Services.
Special Report
The Governor’s Budget – On the Surface, No Surprises 1/17/08
Governor Martin O’Malley announced his proposed budget on January 16.The budget generally follows the plan laid out in the special session. It reduces the state’s structural deficit by relying on the increased tax revenue from the special session and $550 million in cuts from the planned spending levels. The budget totals $31.6 billion, a $1.9 billion increase over this year’s appropriation. Total spending increases 5.9% over the current year.
Taxes: Get the Facts. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provides some Tax Facts to put individual tax contributions, total federal revenues, and recent tax cuts in context.
Maryland: Our Prosperity, Our Challenges, Our Resources is a PDF of a presentation that the Institute made at a September 28, 2006, Maryland Nonprofits' "Voices for Maryland" town hall meeting. It touches on the challenges facing our state, including an approaching fiscal crunch that policymakers will have to address in the 2007 legislative session. 09/28/2006
Estate Tax Cut Would be Costly, Benefit Few. The U.S. Senate rejected repeal of the federal estate tax but may yet vote to cut it. Very few estates in Maryland and nationwide must pay this tax, but cutting it would substantially reduce revenue and hurt charitable giving. Read our tax brief. 06/08/2006
Maryland's 2007 Operating Budget: Learn about Maryland's budget for fiscal year 2007 (which runs from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007). 05/24/2006
But Wait, There's More: The Governor's Supplemental Budget for 2007. While the General Assembly reduces his original +11% budget by more than $100 million, the Governor proposes additional general fund spending as revenues exceed projections. 03/16/2006
Guide to the Governor's 2007 Budget Proposal As the General Assembly considers his proposal, learn what's in and what's out during this election year. 02/27/2006
>>Watch the "Coffee House" interview about the budget. View it on the CH website or check the broadcast schedule for local TV. 03/13/2006
Maryland's Low-Income Families Fare Better on State Income Tax than their Counterparts in Most Other States, according to a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report. In 2005, the level at which a family of four began owing income tax was 52% above the poverty guideline. Still, low-income families pay a larger share of their income for all state and local taxes (not just income) than other Maryland families. Here are the national news release and full report. 02/22/2006
The Governor's Supplemental Budget for 2006 On March 17, 2005 Gov. Ehrlich amended his budget proposal. Here is what he changed (this is an unedited version of the budget submission). Read the Legislative Staff's Analysis 03/22/05
What's In the Governor's FY 2006 Budget? The governor's operating budget proposal is 2,250 pages long. We hit some of the high points in just 8 pages. 02/21/05
Would Repealing the HMO Tax Exemption Be Regressive? Opponents of repealing the HMO tax exemption to pay for the medical malpractice solution say that this would disproportionately harm lower-income Marylanders. It is good to know that policymakers are concerned with how choices affect low- income Marylanders, but an HMO tax would not be regressive. 01/10/05
Settling the Score on Maryland's Business Tax Environment Secretary Melissaratos says that business taxes in Maryland are among the highest in the nation. Comptroller Schaefer says that they are among the lowest. Who is right? 10/25/04
What is the "Delaware Holding Company" Tax Loophole? 05/18/04
Piling On - General Assembly-Passed Budget Cuts $178.5 Million in Spending The General Assembly's cuts come on top of $240 million in net cuts proposed by the governor (with some overlap), $208 million implemented by the Board of Public Works in July, 2003, and cuts in previous years' budgets. 04/13/04
Maryland's Deficit of Easy Budget Answers A longer version of an op-ed by Steve Hill on Maryland's budget situation that ran in the April 4 edition of The Washington Post. 4/6/04
The House Tax Plan The House-passed tax plan would address much of Maryland's long term revenue shortfall and help avoid major cuts in education, health, public safety and other state-funded services. 03/26/04
Two-thirds of Maryland's Largest Corporations Paid NO Corporate Income Tax. Read how, see the details on the distribution of corporations by size and sector who did not pay corporate income taxes in 2002. And compare it to how much YOU pay in income taxes each year. 3/20/04
Restructuring Maryland's Personal Income Tax A millionaire's tax and bracket restructuring proposal would raise needed revenues and address Maryland's regressive tax system. The federal government would pay one-third of the cost. 3/11/04
Corporate Tax Avoidance 101. Just how do the big corporations minimize their state taxes, and what loopholes would remain even after loophole-closing legislation? Need help getting through the report? Download our Reader's Guide/Quiz. 1/29/04
What is the Governor Cutting from this Year's Balanced Budget? The Governor has cut an additional $208 million from this year's budget. Read our analysis. See also this Excel spreedsheet from the Department of Budget and Management outlining the Governor's cuts and this Department of Legislative Services analysis. Revised 8/3/03
What is the Delaware Holding Company Tax Loophole? Updated with an expanded listing of companies that use passive investment corporations to avoid or reduce their state income taxes. 5/15/03
Summary of Corporate Tax Loophole Closures Bill What was in the tax bill that Governor Ehrlich vetoed earlier this year? 4/11/03
Cutting Muscle, Not Fat The House and Senate have already passed cuts that would reduce '04 spending 6 percent below '03 baseline levels. Download summary tables describing these cuts plus additional "Doomsday" cuts contingent upon rejection of tax increases. Updated 4/7/03
Soaking the Poor? Lower-income Maryland taxpayers could end up paying more than their fair share under some revenue-raising options. Download the Charts Only 3/26/03
Survey Says ... Montgomery County voters prefer higher taxes over service cuts. March, 2003.
Is Maryland Government Too Big? Spending cuts are at the top of the list for balancing the budget because excessive spending is perceived to be the source of our fiscal problems. Is that perception correct? 2/24/03
Within Easy Reach: Balancing Maryland's Budget Without Cutting Services Here are more than $1 billion in revenues that can be used to balance Maryland's budget without cutting services (and without expanding legalized gambling). 1/28/03
Raising Revenues Without Raising Rates: Closing Three Tax Avoidance Loopholes Three loopholes allow corporations to dodge more than $150 million to $200 million per year in taxes. Closing these loopholes could be a first step toward balancing Maryland's budget. 12/31/02
Understanding Maryland's Budget Mess Just how difficult would it be to balance the budget by cutting services? See where the money goes, what it buys, and what needs remain. Revised 12/27/02
More than Fat Will Be Cut in Maryland Op-ed by Steve Hill in the Dec. 1, 2002 Washington Post.
Balance the Budget by Raising Taxes? Taxes are low, the deficit is large, and the state already underfunds critical services. Raising taxes may be the sensible solution. 03/18/02
Balancing the Budget by Cutting Services: All Pain, No Gain October 2002; Revised December 2002
Maryland is a Low-tax, Low-revenue State Taxes and revenues are low, and getting lower, compared to other states. See the latest edition of our Chartbook on Taxes in Maryland. 02/06/02
Maryland is a Low-Tax, Low-Revenue State March 2002.
Chartbook on Taxes in Maryland, Third Edition January 2002
The Massachusetts Experience: "Payoffs for Layoffs" 3/20/01
How would you like to pay taxes on just half of your income? Or a 90 percent or greater cut in your income taxes? That's what some Maryland manufacturers are proposing. 03/14/01
Balancing Act: Cutting Taxes to Benefit Marylanders at All Income Levels. February 2000.
Is Maryland a High-Tax State? February 2000.
New Study Confirms Maryland Is a Low-Tax State for Manufacturers. January 2000.
Questions & Answers about the Inheritance Tax February 2000
Chartbook on Taxes in Maryland July 1999