September 22, 2008
By the Editorial Staff
Every year, the Tax Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan research group, measures the relative state-local tax burden on Americans. It's a pretty straightforward calculation, based on data from the Census Bureau and numerous other sources, of just how deeply state and local governments have their hands in the pockets of their citizens.
New Jersey's hands dig deepest. State and local taxes there consume 11.8 percent of the income of its residents. New York comes in second, with 11.7 percent. Connecticut claims 11.1 percent, and Maryland 10.8 percent.
The U.S. average is 9.7 percent.
Florida's state and local tax burden amounts to 7.4 percent of residents' income. Only three states take less: Wyoming (7 percent), Nevada (6.6 percent) and Alaska (6.4 percent).