John Dryden, famous English poet, once wrote “Better shun the bait, than struggle in the snare”. While written with a different context and sentiment in mind, it is a cautionary tale that can easily be applied to the situation currently being faced by leaders in Dover.
During this upcoming state budget cycle, Delaware finds itself in the fortunate and rare position of dealing with the largest budget surplus in Delaware’s history. The Delaware Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC) estimates the budget for 2022 will contain a surplus of $1 billion. Much of the surplus is the result of federal stimulus monies.
As such, budget surplus, often viewed as found or free money, is tempting “bait” hard for elected officials, to resist to fund pet projects, appease special interest groups, or plug a financial gap left by poor financial planning. These are all efforts that typically provide only short-term gains and are often more fueled by political motivations with upcoming elections or re-elections in mind.
The “snare” is the continuing financial burden and obligation for these new or expanded programs. Gov. Carney has already committed $347 million of the surplus to future projects, according to Delaware Live, including a $50 million Clean Water Fund. With a robust budget why are we not considering tax cuts as well to increase economic growth?
After a difficult year, we have been presented with a rare gift that could move Delaware forward financially and economically in this post pandemic world. Other states are already showing the way.
Our neighbors in Maryland have created a within their Financial Incentives for Businesses initiative a Job Creation Tax Credit for businesses that create a minimum number of new full-time positions may be entitled to state income tax credits of up to $3,000 per job or $5,000 per job in a “revitalization area.” https://commerce.maryland.gov
New Mexico’s S.B. 1 2021 was signed by its governor on March 3 and grants a $600 income tax rebate to families and individuals claiming the state’s working families tax credit, and, for businesses, establishes a holiday on gross receipts taxes for food and beverage establishments. https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2021/mar/federal-coronavirus-aid-could-hobble-new-state-tax-cuts-credits.html
The United States Treasury Department recently issued comprehensive guidance on how States could use funds from the American Rescue Plan that would help implement tax reform efforts that could have long term lasting impacts for better budget planning and forecasting. These tax reforms include:
- Protect businesses from the factory tax
Perhaps the most pro-growth change enacted in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was 100 percent bonus depreciation for business investments in machinery and equipment, also known as full expensing. This relieved manufacturers and other businesses of the so-called “factory tax.”
- Use revenue from interest cost deduction limitation to lower business tax rates States can remain conformed to the 163(J) limitation on business interest costs, which will produce additional revenues in upcoming years, and then use the resulting revenue to make a pro-growth change such as reducing the overall business tax rate in a manner that is revenue neutral.
- Cancel the upcoming innovation tax Current federal law allows businesses to deduct research and development costs in the year they are incurred. States could make costs permanently deductible in the year they are incurred. This would prevent a growth-reducing tax increase on the innovation economy and would not violate the “tax mandate” because it would reduce taxes relative to the FY 2019 baseline.
- Provide more rapid tax rebates for businesses that experienced pandemic losses from 2018-2020
The TCJA also made changes to business net operating losses(NOLs) that restricted business ability to achieve rapid tax rebates when they experience income losses.
Spending the surplus was never going to be a problem for decision makers in Dover. Spending the funds in a way that resists the “bait” and puts Delaware on a path that is not just a recovery from COVID, but a path to longer-term economic growth is the challenge.
Our state’s fiscal year starts July 1st and the budget for it must be passed by the Delaware General Assembly by June 30th. Contact your legislators if you believe that they should vote for a budget that focuses on proactive initiatives that sustain and grow Delaware’s economy.
