Where the High Taxes Are

Where are the highest state and local tax burdens in the nation? New Jersey and New York. Did you think it would be any other states? The Tax Foundation has come out with its annual rankings, and New Jersey has the highest tax burden for state and local income taxes, followed closely by New York. Alaska has the lowest.

Frankly, I'm surprised that New Jersey edges out New York given that New York City imposes more taxes than most states (and generates more revenues than most states). However, the great equalizer is the skyrocketing New Jersey property taxes.

The Tax Foundation also notes that the top 1% of California taxpayers pays more in tax than the bottom 50% of taxpayers throughout the entire country ($54 billion v. $31 billion).

UPDATE:
The full report on state tax burdens is available. Note that the map on page three showing the tax burden highlights that the Northeast and California impose the heaviest tax burdens on their citizens.

UPDATE:
And NJ leads the nation in another dubious category - worst and costliest roads in the nation. Nice. How did it get that way? Trenton has a way of spending more than it takes in and mortgaged the future, which we're still paying for.