The U.S. is an arctic nation. It’s also a Caribbean nation.

While Alaska and Puerto Rico put the U.S. into those categories of nations, the interests of those states don’t typically make it to the top tier of American concerns. These forgotten borders were the topic of the International Committee meeting discussion Friday morning.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday, May 15, considered H.R. 1864, known as the Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act. The bill would limit a state’s ability to tax the income of nonresidents if they work in the state for 30 days or less.

Legislators in several states are considering raising the minimum wage this year, but the issue is controversial. Proponents of raising state minimum wages argue that while the federal rate has remained stagnant—it hasn’t increased since 2009—the costs for housing, food, utilities and health care have continued to climb. This leaves those earning minimum wage with less money to afford the basics, which in turn puts downward pressure on the demand for goods and services. Opponents warn that raising the wage now would have a negative impact on businesses—especially during anemic economic times—and that a minimum wage hike actually hurts those that it intends to help by forcing employers to cut jobs at the low end of the pay scale.

According to a new report by the U.S. Census Bureau, state and local public-employee retirement systems had $2.7 trillion in total cash and investment holdings in 2010, a $257.2 billion (10.6 percent) increase over 2009. This is the first year that state and local retirement systems have shown positive earnings since 2007, just before financial markets – and public pension assets – took a dive. Those retirement systems saw a $722.2 billion loss in 2009 and a $178.8 billion loss in 2008.

A number of states are considering raising their minimum wages this year and/or tying those wages to an inflationary measure. Proponents of raising state minimum wages argue that while the federal rate has remained stagnant (it hasn’t increased since 2009), the costs for housing, food, utilities and health care have continued to climb, leaving those earning the minimum wage with less money to afford the basics, which in turn puts downward pressure on the demand for goods and services. Opponents warn that raising the wage now would have a negative impact on businesses – especially during anemic economic times – and that a minimum wage hike actually hurts those that it intends to help by forcing employers to cut jobs at the low end of the pay scale.

In the early stages of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, one particular program—the $3.1 billion State Energy Program—had more than its share of controversy. Eventually, however, every state and territory accepted the money, but some have been slow to spend those funds. Now, the clock is ticking: States have until April 30 to spend their remaining balances. Multiple 

With state revenue levels just beginning to recover from the Great Recession, responsibly stewarding every public dollar is imperative and ensuring state incentive programs – especially tax incentives – are garnering a return on investment is increasingly a concern for state officials. New research out by the Pew Center on the States finds that 13 states are leading the way when it comes to examining and evaluating their business incentive programs.

The challenge of collecting sales taxes on out-of-state transactions is as old as the humble mail order catalogue. But in an age when consumers are buying everything from movies to groceries online, the issue is of growing importance to state fiscal health.

With Congress currently considering bipartisan legislation to allow states to enforce online sales tax collection, The Council of State Governments’ Intergovernmental Affairs Committee will discuss this critical issue at CSG’s National Leadership Conference in La Quinta, Calif., May 19.