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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 22, 2014

July/August 2014

So, What Are “Inversions”?

Guest columnist, MCFE board member, and international tax expert Ken Levinson of Faegre Baker Daniels provides a closer look at the realities, issues, and misperceptions surrounding this exceptionally complicated topic.

A Look at Minnesota’s Real Personal Income Trends

Newly available data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis offers a different perspective on state personal income – personal income adjusted for purchasing power. A look at Minnesota’s current status, recent trends, and why it matters.

MCFE Annual Meeting to Examine Minnesota Tax Competitiveness

Richard Davis, Chairman, President, and CEO of US Bancorp headlines an all star event examining Minnesota competitiveness in the 21st century

From the Director: Fixing the Corporate Income Tax

Good luck with that.

June 03, 2014

May/June 2014

The "Mad Men" Guide to the 2014 Session

Wisdom and insights from television’s most famous advertising executives have a lot of relevance to recent lawmaker decisions regarding the state budget, property taxes, and other policy areas.

How Does Minnesota's Safety Net Compare?

A new analysis out of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago finds that Minnesota’s reputation as a state that looks after its most economically disadvantaged is well deserved.

Bad Ideas Ruling

A new book titled Dead Men Ruling argues that fiscal democracy in the U.S, – the ability of current and future generations to choose their own spending priorities and allocate resources accordingly – has been ruined because federal budgets are driven by decisions made by people no longer with us. Minnesota addressed this problem long ago but is still beholden to some bad ideas.

April 14, 2014

March/April 2014

That Rainy Day Feeling     

Is this the year we establish stronger budget reserve targets and deposit policies in statute? Minnesota’s current tax policy suggests this is a necessity, not an option.
 

"Will the Real Greater Minnesota Please Stand Up"

Wage trends suggest the economic story of rural Minnesota is a lot more upbeat than the stark headlines and warnings suggest

Thoughts at the Far Turn

As the end of the session draws closer, some perspective on the state’s property tax obsession, unsession activities, pension policy -- and the hands-down, all-time greatest research study on how people respond to estate taxation.