Strengthen State Government States Could Close Budget Holes by Collecting Owed Taxes

Collecting more of what taxpayers legally owe could help states to address fiscal challenges

The Rundown

Sign up to receive Pew’s latest research and recommendations.
State Tax Revenue Volatility
State Tax Revenue Volatility Remains High as Long-Term Trends Moderate

The gap between recent and long-term tax revenue volatility has continued to widen. Revenue fluctuations were greater in every state from fiscal year 2020 to fiscal 2024 than they were over the 15 years ending in fiscal 2024, underscoring how the COVID-19 pandemic-driven economic shock affected virtually all tax systems. The states with the largest increases in short-term volatility compared with long-term trends tended to be those that rely most on historically volatile tax sources, but even states with traditionally stable revenue structures faced greater-than-usual swings.

What Happens When You Invest Money in Nature?

This special crossover episode between “After the Fact” and the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF’s) “Nature Breaking” podcast dives into the topic of nature finance. And with an estimated $1.2 trillion needed annually by 2030 to halt biodiversity loss, this funding needs to be secured quickly and on a large scale.

Construction site with excavators and heavy machinery moving dirt in front of a large, windowless industrial building.
Data Centers Are Moving to Rural Areas

Pew Research Center

Calculator Helps Quantify Climate Value of Coastal Wetlands

Scientists have long recognized coastal wetlands—marshes, tidal forests, seagrass meadows, and mudflats—as unsung environmental powerhouses. They capture 4.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, an annual rate equivalent to removing roughly 1.12 million vehicles from the roads, and deliver an estimated $23 billion in storm-protection benefits in the U.S. alone.

Workers close the Stuyvesant Falls Bridge
5 Factors Inflate Costs of Maintaining Roads and Bridges

States are facing an $86 billion shortfall over the next decade for maintaining roads and bridges. And the U.S. is among the most expensive countries for transportation construction—projects typically cost more than three times as much as in other upper- and middle-income economies.

Our Work

Pew's work spans 7 key topics...

Professional psychologist doctor listening and giving the consult to female patients

Good health is important to everyone. Pew conducts research and provides information and fact-based recommendations to state agencies, hospitals, researchers, and other health partners to help them provide better care. We find and share evidence-based practices to improve Americans’ health and well-being, including services that can prevent suicide, improve mental health care, and treat substance use disorder.

Bustleton Free Library in Philadelphia, PA, on Thursday September 12 2024.

Communities throughout the country share common needs: affordable connections to broadband Internet, modern and reliable energy infrastructure, effective responses to mental health challenges, and ways to resolve legal disputes more quickly and fairly. To address these issues, Pew collaborates with states and local governments to find and promote evidence-based solutions that help provide stability and opportunity.

Sunshine

Economic opportunity is the foundation of American society. Pew supports national, state, and local efforts to expand opportunity and promote financial well-being. Our work helps people pay off student loans, navigate court proceedings such as debt collection, buy or rent a home, access affordable internet, and save for their retirement.

High angle helicopter shot of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. at twilight on a clear evening in Fall, with Pennsylvania Avenue beyond.

Nonpartisan, fact-based improvements in federal policy can create jobs, lower costs, and help the nation prepare for the future. When our research shows that small changes can have a big impact, we work across party lines to improve national challenges like housing affordability, internet access, energy reliability, and health care.

Turkish world record-holder free-diver and divers of the Underwater Federation Sahika Encumen dives amid plastic waste in Ortakoy coastline to observe the life and pollution of Bosphorus in Istanbul,

The global ocean teems with life, and it contributes to the vital cycles that keep people and our planet healthy. But the seas are vulnerable to overfishing, loss of habitat such as seagrasses and mangroves, ineffective fisheries management, plastic pollution, and declining biodiversity. These mounting losses affect the coastal communities that depend on the ocean for food and jobs.

The House Chamber at the Kentucky State Capitol is shown as the legislature tries to wrap up its session

States and cities are the “laboratories of democracy” in America—the places where lawmakers and governors look for new ways to help their communities succeed. Whether in Pew’s hometown of Philadelphia or any of the 50 state capitals, we help elected leaders respond to the needs of their citizens, use public dollars wisely, fix outdated policies, and build a better future for all.

A view of steep cliff, grand canyon and Colorado river from Toroweap overlook.

Conserving natural spaces conveys benefits far beyond the gains to wildlife and their habitats. As scores of studies show, protecting and restoring lands and waters, particularly when done in close partnership with local communities, also improves people’s lives—and local economies—by increasing tourism and outdoor recreation.

How We Work

Pew is committed to generating research, providing technical assistance, and building relationships to advance powerful, positive change. Learn More

Although our projects vary in scale and scope, Pew maintains a consistent investment philosophy for all of our work—an approach driven by our history and values. Learn More

Stay informed through our newsletters, join the conversation on social media, or learn about partnership opportunities—just a few ways you can help us make a difference. Learn More

Sign up for Newsletters

Get the best of Pew: our latest research, recommendations, charts, photos, and survey results.