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Fiscal Focus

Fiscal Focus is our bimonthly publication providing news, analysis, and commentary on tax and spending topics in the headlines.


July 12, 2021

May / June 2021

Session Wrap

A look at the tax and fiscal aftermath of the 2021 Special Session and why a “miscellaneous” provision deep in the tax bill may eventually turn out to be the most influential long-term tax policy action arising out of this strange year.

Income Taxes, the TCJA, and Taxpayer Migration

We take a closer look at the influence of the SALT cap on effective tax rates, what the new IRS Statistics of Income releases are communicating about Minnesota taxpayer migration, and offer some thoughts on the implications for Minnesota’s income tax debates.

April 29, 2021

March / April 2021

Taxes and Their Replacement

Heading into the homestretch a look at where the House and Senate tax bills overlap and why the American Rescue Plan is an afterthought in building a budget.

Racial Inequity and the Tax Code

As lawmakers push to address racial inequities in government policy, we look at why tax policy presents a unique challenge and how Minnesota compares in one area that’s received national attention.

Minnesota’s Proposed Taxation of Foreign Earnings: What We Know

Five things learned about state efforts to go after foreign profits.

February 24, 2021

January / February 2021

A Closer Look at Minnesota’s Proposed SALT Cap Workaround

Guest contributor, MCFE member, and former Minnesota House of Representatives legislative analyst Joel Michael examines the design, implications, and tax policy issues of a bill allowing pass through business entities to elect to pay state income tax at the entity level and thereby circumvent the federal government’s $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductibility.

Session Odds and Ends

A look at the findings of a couple of recent lower-profile state government reports on tax and fiscal matters of relevance to taxpayers.