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The property tax, a mainstay of local government, is the subject of continual controversy, with numerous ballot measure to place caps on it, or even in some cases proposals to eliminate it completely. But in fact it is a fair, democratic, stable and efficient source local revenue, attorney and property tax expert Joan Youngman argues in “A Good Tax: Legal and Policy Issues for the Property Tax in the United States,” published this month by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Public Invited to Imagine the Taxpayer Experience of the Future. The Internal Revenue Service today announced the upcoming start of its first Tax Design Challenge crowdsourcing competition to encourage innovative ideas for the taxpayer experience of the future.

In real estate, there are a lot of expenses associated with buying and selling homes – especially if you’re an agent. Luckily, there are a number of tax write-offs that can be used to offset the cost. You just have to know what deductions and credits real estate agents can claim and how to claim them.

Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced in Seattle this afternoon her intention to introduce legislation to expand Low Income Housing Tax Credit authority by 50 percent and to make other changes to strengthen the program. At the same time, the ACTION Campaign, a group of about 1,300 affordable housing stakeholders that NCSHA and Enterprise Community Partners co-chair, transmitted to every member of Congress a national sign-on letter, endorsed by more than 1,300 organizations representing all 50 states, ca6lling on Congress to increase the Housing Credit cap by at least 50 percent. Cantwell also referenced this letter in her remarks

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse applauded the House’s passage today of the Foreclosure Relief and Extension for Servicemembers Act, which extends key foreclosure protection to those who serve. Whitehouse authored the legislation, which was unanimously approved by the Senate in December. The bill now awaits the President’s signature to become law.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today announced that it has signed on as charter members of “Parity for Main Street Employers” (PMSE), a coalition pushing for comprehensive tax reform that treats small business fairly

The federal Judiciary is actively trimming costs for courthouses and office space, and is working to ensure that recently appropriated funds for eight courthouse construction projects will be spent efficiently, a House subcommittee was told by the head of the Judiciary’s Space and Facilities Committee.

The U.S. Supreme Court today denied the request of the American Farm Bureau Federation and its allies to take up their case challenging the legality of the Chesapeake Bay clean-up plan known as the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint. That decision means that the ruling of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals will stand. That unanimous ruling found that EPA did not exceed its authority and that the efforts to restore local rivers, streams, and the Chesapeake Bay are entirely legal.

The Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) today released new analysis exploring the potential impact of recently extended federal tax credits on the deployment of renewable generation technologies and related U.S. electric sector carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) has long supported a nationwide plan to reconstruct our nation’s crumbling roads and bridges, which are critical to the nation's economy and security. The Association strongly believes that to achieve a sound investment of taxpayer dollars, legislation authorizing infrastructure construction and reconstruction using durable and resilient materials should be passed.

A significant piece of tax legislation is now on its way to the President’s desk, and the bill includes the extension of a number of expired tax provisions important to supporting homeowners and real estate investment.

Congress delivered an early gift of energy efficiency tax incentives to help American consumers and businesses invest in products and technologies that will return energy and dollar savings.  The omnibus appropriations and tax extenders bill approved by Congress reinstates and extends until 2016 a tax incentive of up to $500 for families that purchase qualifying energy efficiency products; provides home builders and/or manufacturers up to $2,000 for building energy efficient homes

Thomas J. Bisacquino, President and CEO of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, issued the following statement on the House of Representative’s passage of Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015

Tom Woods, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Blue Springs, Mo., issued the following statement on the ruling by the Government Accountability Office that found the Obama administration broke the law when it used social media to urge the general public to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule defining “waters of the United States.”

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, and Mayor Bill de Blasio, joined by Commissioner James S. Rubin of  New York State Homes & Community Renewal (“DHCR”)  and Commissioner Vicki Been of the City’s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”),  announced today that 128 landlords receiving lucrative tax benefits under Section 421-a of the New York Real Property Tax Law are now registering 1,823 market-rate apartments across New York City as rent-stabilized.

Six developers across the state were recently awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), a key federal funding source for creating and preserving affordable housing. The tax credits will provide almost $31 million in upfront cash equity to be used for building 170 affordable apartments and preserving 100 more.

Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) introduced legislation today that would ensure accountability in public housing by cracking down on the number of over-income families who live in taxpayer-subsidized public housing.

Five affordable housing projects for homeless veterans, seniors, and families will share nearly $2.9 million in federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) allocated by MaineHousing through a competitive selection process.

Five affordable housing projects for homeless veterans, seniors, and families will share nearly $2.9 million in federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) allocated by MaineHousing through a competitive selection process.

U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), today praised passage of S. 611, the “Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Act,” by the House of Representatives. The bill –would help small and rural communities comply with “safe drinking water” regulations. Rep. Harper and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) introduced companion legislation to Senator Roger Wicker’s S. 611 earlier this year