10 Worst States for Your Tax Dollars
Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $7,557
Arkansas is the worst state when it comes to spending its residents’ tax dollars wisely. The state ranked especially low in government services related to safety and the economy.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $6,210
There’s no free lunch in Mississippi either. It’s the second worst spender of tax dollars in the country and it has the third worst school system. It also ranked in the bottom in health services.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $6,564
Louisiana may have one of the lowest real estate tax rates in the country, but it’s also the state providing the third worst services to its residents, particularly regarding health services and education.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $8,034
The nation’s capital is well known for its “taxation without representation” license-plate slogan, but it should also be known as one of the places in the country where residents get the worst services for their tax dollars. It has one of the worst hospital systems and some of the worst roads and bridges in the U.S.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $7,789
North Carolina is among the 15 states that collect the highest taxes in the country and it also provides some of the worst government services to its resident, particularly in education and health.
UNC Chapel Hill
Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $6,598
Residents of West Virginia pay low taxes compared to the rest of the country and also get mediocre services, with one exception. The Mountain State is rated as the state with the best water quality in the country.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $7,252
Tennessee has one of the highest violent crime rates in the nation only behind the District of Columbia. It also has one of the worst hospital systems and provides bad government services related to the economy.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $9,509
Talk about waste. Considering how much Californians pay in taxes, the Golden State should be ranked as one of the top states providing the most and best services for its residents. But it has some of the worst water quality and home price volatility in the country.
REUTERS/Adrees Latif
Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $5,846
Residents of Alabama get what they pay for. The local and state taxes are among the lowest in the country and its residents are getting some of the worst services in the country, especially regarding its hospital systems and safety-related services.
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Average Annual State & Local Taxes: $7,472
Kentucky is in the middle of the pack regarding how much it gets in taxes from its residents but it is the tenth worst state regarding tax ROI. Safety-related services are particularly weak.
REUTERS/John Gress