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POLICY INSIGHT
BEYOND THE NUMBERS

In Case You Missed It…

| By CBPP

This week at CBPP, we focused on state budgets and taxes, a constitutional convention, health care, and the economy.

  • On state budgets and taxes, Eric Figueroa, Michael Leachman, and Michael Mazerov outlined how phasing in deep tax cuts over time can create major structural problems in state revenue systems. Mazerov and Marlana Wallace showed that revenue triggers for tax cuts provide an illusion of fiscal responsibility. Leachman testified before the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives on bills that would reverse deep income tax cuts and put the state on the road to fiscal recovery, and noted that these bills suggest Kansas is moving in the right direction. Erica Williams explained how states can help build a stronger economy that works for everyone by creating or expanding a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). She also outlined the cost of a state EITC and explained why EITCs and minimum wages work best together to make work pay for low-income families.
  • On a constitutional convention, Michael Leachman testified before the Maryland Senate, urging lawmakers to protect the Constitution by rescinding past calls for a convention. He also testified before the Kansas House of Representatives, urging lawmakers to oppose a resolution calling for a constitutional convention.
  • On health care, Sarah Lueck warned that changes to the individual insurance market that the Trump Administration is reportedly considering could raise consumers’ costs and make coverage less accessible. Peggy Bailey explained that repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could cause millions of people with serious mental illness or substance abuse disorders to lose access to behavioral health treatment, thus undermining the fight against the opioid epidemic. Jesse Cross-Call highlighted the risk that repeal poses to veterans’ major coverage gains under the ACA. Hannah Katch clarified why equating a proposed Medicaid per capita cap with states’ “capitated” payment arrangements is highly misleading. Judith Solomon cautioned that federal officials need to know more about the impact of Indiana’s Medicaid waiver program before allowing the state to extend it.
  • On the economy, Paul Van de Water explained that a recent directive from President Trump could delay or derail an Obama Administration rule requiring financial advisers to put their clients’ interests first. And we updated our chart book on the legacy of the Great Recession.

Chart of the week: Sales Taxes Fall Hardest on Low-Income People; Income Taxes Fall Hardest on the High-Income

A variety of news outlets featured CBPP’s work and experts recently. Here are some highlights:

Obamacare Repeal Could Be a Big Setback for the Fight Against Addiction

Fiscal Times

February 10, 2017

 

Conservatives Make the Case for a Carbon Tax

U.S. News

February 10, 2017

 

The True value of the ACA taxes

Democracy Journal

February 8, 2017

 

How Would Republican Plans for Medicaid Block Grants Actually Work?

New York Times

February 6, 2017

 

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