Taxes: Income

Taxes: Income

The income tax has been the primary means of funding the federal government since 1913 when the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted. It is a progressive tax on individual and corporate income, based on income levels.  43 states impose an income tax on individuals, while 47 states impose a tax on the income of corporations. Many municipalities and counties also levy income taxes on their residents.

Commentary

Chamber of Commerce, Wrong Again

May 19, 2011

The California Chamber of Commerce released its hit list of so-called "job killer" bills. Like every year, they oppose every proposal to protect consumers, workers and the environment from irresponsible business practices, or raise revenues to fund public services, or support middle and working class families. 

They were wrong before and they are wrong now.

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Taxes and the wealthy

Will Higher Taxes on the Rich Kill Jobs?

December 01, 2010

Will raising income taxes on the rich hurt or help the economy? That's the key question that Congress will be debating as they consider whether to extend the tax cuts enacted by President George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

As he pledged during the 2008 campaign, President Obama, along with most Congressional Democrats, wants to maintain the Bush 2001 tax cuts for the middle class but allow them to expire for high income Americans. Business groups and Republicans are, predictably, claiming that such a plan would "kill jobs," harm small businesses, and deepen the recession. They are crying wolf, but they repeat their misleading warnings so often -- and the media report them as if they were true -- that many Americans believe them.

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Cry Wolf Quotes

Apparently our president thinks that living in America is so wonderful that we will never leave, despite being directly attacked and held responsible for the political class’s inability to constrain its desire to buy votes with our money. He should think again.

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Glendon Esnard, president of capital markets for Grubb & Ellis (a real estate and investment firm), letter to the editor, Wall Street Journal.
09/14/2010 | Full Details | Law(s): Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003

About the only positive environmental impact this tax package will produce is that in destroying 400,000 American jobs, there will be fewer commuters driving their cars to work each day! Between the Clean Air Act and this proposed tax, this country will lose almost 20 percent of its refinery capacity by the end of the decade. In addition to the refinery problem, the tax is punitive to clean fuels, providing little incentives for industries to switch to more environmentally sound fuels like natural gas.”

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Jack Fields (R-TX), Congressional Record
05/27/1993 | Full Details | Law(s): Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993

The votes we take today will not be soon forgotten by the American voters. Both votes on the rule and on final passage will lead to more taxes, higher inflation, and slower economic growth.

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Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH), Congressional Record.
05/27/1993 | Full Details | Law(s): Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993

[A tax on incomes exceeding $4,000 will drive] rich men to go abroad and live.

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Letter to the editor, New York World by Ward McAllister, a prominent figure in high society.
01/30/1894 | Full Details | Law(s): Tax: Income
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Related Laws and Rules

Evidence

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Backgrounders & Briefs

Taxes Not Seen as Making the Rich Flee New York

Almost everyone agrees that raising taxes on the rich does not induce mass upper-class migration. 

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Resources

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) is a think tank focused on tax and fiscal policy. They provide in-depth analysis of state issues.

Citizens for Tax Justice is an organization that represents low and middle income citizens in the tax debates on Capitol Hill.

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