The Blog at MSPC

Calls to abolish the property tax are growing louder across the country as elected representatives respond to constituents' increasing concerns about rising property assessments and tax bills. Wyoming is one of the states currently having this debate. What happens there next could be a lesson for lawmakers in other states.

Moody’s Ratings, one of the major global credit review companies, has reaffirmed its highest credit rating for Idaho while saying the state’s credit “outlook remains stable.”

With a federal government shutdown upon us and even more importantly, ballooning national debt jeopardizing the solvency of Social Security and Medicare in less than 10 years and other basic government functions, states must start preparing for changes in federal support.

Idaho’s top real estate agents are not cashing commissions in Boise—they’re writing tax laws in Olympia. Washington legislators keep raising the cost of doing business so fast that they may as well set up a relocation desk for Idaho.

It is noteworthy that despite the reduction, revenues are still projected to grow overall in Washington, yet there is still a $421 million deficit forecasted. As already occurred in Idaho, the Evergreen State needs to right-size its budget by reducing spending.

Fifty years ago, government shutdowns didn’t exist. But now, each fall, the nation groans as Congress turns one of its most fundamental duties—passing a budget—into a manufactured crisis.

Changes are coming to Idaho’s current budget with Governor Little acting swiftly to focus on government efficiencies in response to changing revenue projections.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) recently released its 2025 Freedom Index Rankings for states. SEL is a global leader in power system protection, automation and control solutions.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state-controlled health care insurance entitlement. It is not financially sustainable in its current form unless the federal debt or taxes are significantly increased.

Highway infrastructure is funded primarily at the state and federal level, with every state in the country levying a tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, ranging from $0.0895 per gallon in Alaska to $0.629 per gallon sold in California.

In most respects, Idaho and Montana have been enthusiastic in their pursuit of tax competitiveness. But if there’s one area of tax policy on which they are worse than their peers, it’s in their incorporation of GILTI—the federal tax on Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income—into their own state tax codes. Not even California or Illinois does that.

Taxpayers across Washington state have had a rough go as of late. New gas taxes, increased capital gains income taxes, and higher B&O taxes are hitting the wallets of many across the Evergreen State.

The Gem State’s current budget has a decent ending fund balance, substantial budget reserves on hand, and many important fiscal tools available should the economic outlook for the state and country change.

the Washington State Supreme Court has given its official blessing to a secretive process that allows the offers and counteroffers leading to more than a billion dollars in taxpayer-funded compensation to remain secret until after the state budget is signed into law.

The full implementation of HB 93 (school choice tax credit) is moving forward, and families are invited to register for an online webinar on August 19 or an in-person seminar in Boise on August 26 to learn more about how to apply for the tax credit.

Despite claims that “the sky is falling,” the Medicaid reforms are actually a start at guaranteeing that the program will survive into the future and be available for the country’s most vulnerable people.

Add outrageous cell phone taxes to the major financial difference between living in states like Idaho and Montana, versus Washington state.

For years, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has ignored the pleas of states wanting to study the implications of removing Sugar Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in small pilot programs. Though many studies incentivizing improved nutritional choices have been approved by the USDA.

If Washington's government won’t deliver savings, efficiency, and accountability—Idaho will.

One very concerning proposal that may be flying under the radar compared to the other provisions is a section in the House version of the BBB that would impose a 600% tax increase on charitable foundations.