Fiscal & Economic Policy

Philadelphia: From engineering to public policy to the internet, human ingenuity and invention are constantly changing lives. Yet new knowledge—and innovative ways to live and work that are the result of technological change—also presents new dilemmas. On Wednesday, July 19, join contributors to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ latest issue of Trend magazine to discuss how modern... Read More

Forty-eight states have a budget stabilization fund, commonly known as a rainy day fund, to set aside money in good times so that it’s available in the bad. Despite the widespread use of these funds, the policies that guide deposits, withdrawals, and a fund’s size vary greatly. Since 2014, Pew has released three reports—“Building State Rainy Day Funds” (2014),... Read More

Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis, an interactive resource from The Pew Charitable Trusts, allows you to sort and analyze data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic trends in the 50 states and understand their impact on states’ fiscal health. Read More

Pew’s Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis presents 50-state data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic indicators and analyzes their impact on states’ long-term fiscal health. Drill down into state finances in five core areas. Read More

The share of states’ own money spent on Medicaid health care coverage for low-income Americans fell slightly in the second year of the program’s expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), even as enrollment grew. Still, a post-recession spike in states’ costs persisted. In fiscal year 2015, Medicaid consumed 16.7 cents of each state-generated dollar—4.5 cents more... Read More

Forty-eight states have a budget stabilization fund, commonly known as a rainy day fund, to set aside money in good times so that it’s available in the bad. Despite the widespread use of these funds, the policies that guide deposits, withdrawals, and a fund’s size vary greatly. Since 2014, Pew has released three reports—“Building State Rainy Day Funds” (2014),... Read More

Pew’s Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis presents 50-state data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic indicators and analyzes their impact on states’ long-term fiscal health. Drill down into state finances in five core areas. Read More

The share of states’ own money spent on Medicaid health care coverage for low-income Americans fell slightly in the second year of the program’s expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), even as enrollment grew. Still, a post-recession spike in states’ costs persisted. In fiscal year 2015, Medicaid consumed 16.7 cents of each state-generated dollar—4.5 cents more... Read More

Even as they dealt with two recessions, most states amassed sufficient revenue between fiscal years 2002 and 2015 to cover their expenses. But total revenue in 11 states fell short, jeopardizing their long-term fiscal flexibility and pushing off to future taxpayers some past costs for operating government and providing services. Read More

Findings from a national survey of small and midsize businesses suggest that many employers need to reach a point of stability—in terms of finances and number of workers—before offering retirement benefits. Read More

Philadelphia: From engineering to public policy to the internet, human ingenuity and invention are constantly changing lives. Yet new knowledge—and innovative ways to live and work that are the result of technological change—also presents new dilemmas. On Wednesday, July 19, join contributors to The Pew Charitable Trusts’ latest issue of Trend magazine to discuss how modern... Read More

Policymakers in Washington are working out the details of a potential tax reform proposal. The last major overhaul of the federal tax code was the Tax Reform Act of 1986, which had a significant—and often forgotten—impact on state tax policy and revenue.  Read More

To minimize the need for uncomfortable choices between raising taxes or cutting spending, 48 states have created budget stabilization funds—rainy day funds—that take advantage of boom times by directing surplus revenue into savings that can offset future shortfalls. However, many of these funds lack rules to effectively smooth the ups and downs in revenue. Designing a robust fund, and... Read More

While 27 states conduct debt affordability studies, only nine produce studies with all the necessary elements to give policymakers a clear understanding of their state’s debt levels, according to a report released today by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Read More

WASHINGTON--More than half of U.S. states have processes to regularly evaluate their economic development tax incentives, according to a new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts. How States are Improving Tax Incentives for Jobs and Growth: A national assessment of evaluation practices examines the progress that the 50 states and the District of Columbia have made to produce high-quality... Read More

Fiscal 50: State Trends and Analysis, an interactive resource from The Pew Charitable Trusts, allows you to sort and analyze data on key fiscal, economic, and demographic trends in the 50 states and understand their impact on states’ fiscal health. Read More

Taxes and federal funds together account for 81 percent of revenue for the 50 states. Taxes are the largest revenue source in 46 states, while federal funds are greatest in three. But neither is the primary contributor to government coffers in one state: Alaska. This infographic displays a breakdown of each state's revenue, by major categories. Read More

Taxes make up about half of state government revenue, with the bulk coming from levies on personal income and general sales of goods and services. Broad-based personal income taxes are the greatest source of tax dollars in 28 of the 41 states that impose them, with the highest share—69.6 percent—in Oregon. General sales taxes are the largest source in 17 of the 45... Read More

In this animated video, learn about the Results First Initiative, which, since 2011, has partnered with states and counties across the country to help them incorporate the use of evidence in their budgeting and policymaking processes—helping to improve outcomes and make the most of limited resources. Read More

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