South Dakota’s new optional half-percent county sales tax is being sold as property-tax relief. It is relief only in the sense of moving money from one pocket to another. The cost of county government does not fall. The law changes who pays it. Meade, Pennington, Custer and Codington are among the counties that have enacted […]
I love saving money at the gas pump, but I fear the precedent Gov. Mike Braun is setting by ignoring state law in favor of unilateral executive power. And so should lawmakers. His gas tax holiday could turn into a loss of eight months in road funding — all without the involvement of the legislative […]
With U.S. Rep. Jared Golden on his way out of Congress, the business and labor groups that united behind him are once again at odds in the 2nd District. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorsed Republican Paul LePage in the race Thursday. In contrast, Democrat Matt Dunlap has the backing of several major unions. It’s […]
Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday introduced a new natural gas pipeline bill that he characterized as a compromise between conflicting philosophies on oil and gas taxes that he wants lawmakers to pass during the ongoing special session. The new bill would nearly eliminate property taxes that would be charged on the operator of a yet-to-be-built […]
As more Hoosier communities debate data centers, a growing number of local governments are reaching for moratoriums. Nearly a third of Indiana counties have adopted data center restrictions, with Indianapolis now considering a temporary halt of its own. Concerns about water, power, taxes, infrastructure and transparency deserve serious answers. But moratoriums can have unintended, far-reaching […]
It’s not Black Friday or the holiday season, but expect Arkansas stores to be more crowded than usual this weekend. Saturday and Sunday mark the state’s annual sales tax holiday, created by lawmakers 15 years ago to provide a tax break to families during back-to-school shopping. Arkansas is among 20 states that have enacted “holidays” […]
Inquiries about Indiana’s tax amnesty program are off to a quick start from businesses and individuals with overdue state taxes, according to state officials. The general public, however, won’t notice much promotion of the effort as the Indiana Department of Revenue is focused on directly notifying delinquent taxpayers about the chance to pay off those […]
(The Center Square) - Idaho recently closed the books on fiscal year 2026, ending in the black while rolling over approximately $250 million in cash balances to its general fund for next year, while its neighbor faces a growing deficit.
(The Center Square) - This fall, voters in Seattle will decide if they want to increase sales taxes in the city to fund a new transit measure that would expand bus service while the city also faces a massive deficit.
At least four South Dakota counties — including three in the Black Hills — have decided to implement sales taxes to lower property taxes for homeowners, while several more plan to consider it later or let voters decide in November. The opportunity stems from a new state law that took effect July 1, giving counties […]
