Research
Most of MTA's research activities are undertaken through the Minnesota Center for Public Finance Research, MTA's non-profit supporting research and education arm. Our research programs on government and fiscal policy are distinguishable in two important ways:
- We work to generate light, not heat. We seek to provide the necessary tools and information for citizens to develop their own informed judgments about government finance.
- We focus on improving government accountability and efficiency. Citizens can have honest disagreements about the legitimacy and worthiness of government spending programs. But any spending should accomplish what it is supposed to accomplish and should be done in a way that maximizes the return from each tax dollar. We want to make spending more visible and understandable to improve public debate about the value and effectiveness of government programs. And we want to identify spending reforms that can achieve policy outcomes at lower cost to taxpayers.
“How Does Minnesota Compare?”
Find out where Minnesota ranks among the 50 states for various types of tax collection and spending categories.
The Green Book (members only)
An exhaustive fact book (upwards of 150 pages) containing economic and fiscal data relevant to most public finance debates.
Become a member today! Support the work of this association by joining the Minnesota Taxpayers Association.
50-State Property Tax Study
This study is a powerful tool for comparing the property tax systems of the 50 states to one another while taking into account various levels of quality of assessments.
42-State Income Tax Study
The study includes income tax calculations for 10 income levels for single taxpayers, single head-of-household taxpayers with 1 dependent, and married filing jointly households with 2 dependents, using standard and itemized deductions when appropriate, as indicated by our taxpayer profile data from DOR.
Local Government Data
Find out how your city or county spends taxpayer dollars and how much support your local governments receive from the state.
State Spending Guide
The guide to State Government Spending for Fiscal Years 2003 - 2005 provides accurate budget detail, simple explanation and careful analysis.
Mining Study
Released in 2004, it is the culmination of a nine-month study that evaluated Minnesota’s taxation of the mining industry using principles of good tax policy.