Statewide Student Loan Debt Conversations

by | Mar 1, 2016

Last week, we hit the road and traveled around the state talking with student loan borrowers about their experiences dealing with debt. We met with students, professionals, and local leaders and heard powerful stories about the struggles folks have due to student...

The "Real" Story Behind State and Local Government Inflation

by | Feb 29, 2016

When measuring changes over time in income, wages, revenue, spending, or just about anything else that is measured in dollars, amounts are commonly adjusted for the decline in the purchasing power of the dollar due to inflation. Without inflation adjustments, we have...

A Closer Look at the February Forecast

by | Feb 26, 2016

On the surface, today’s release of the February economic forecast was no big deal. Projections of state general fund revenue went down (mainly due to national and global economic trends that state policymakers have no control over), but so too did projected spending....

Conservative Criticisms of the 2013 Tax Act Fall Flat

by | Feb 24, 2016

A recent North Star article touted the success of the 2013 tax act in reducing tax regressivity, providing targeted tax relief, reducing the state and local taxes paid by most middle-income households, funding important public investments, and helping to put the state...

I Sing the Tax Act 2013

by | Feb 22, 2016

Of all the legislation enacted in recent years, few have aroused as much passion as chapter 147 of the 88th legislative session: the 2013 omnibus tax act. Thus, it is fitting that North Star’s inaugural fiscal policy article should focus on this historic law. To some,...