By J.D. Davidson
(The Center Square) – It likely comes as little surprise the majority of Americans believe government does not spend tax dollars wisely, but, according to a new report, some states offer better returns on taxpayers’ investments than others.
Indiana is one of those states, ranking as the 15th-best state in the nation in taxpayer return on investment, according to a WalletHub study on the Best & Worst Taxpayer Return on Investment in 2021.
“Tax Day can be a painful reminder of much we have to invest in federal, state and local governments, though many of us are unaware of exactly what they give us in return,” John Kiernan, WalletHub managing editor wrote in the report. “As a result, this creates a disconnect in the minds of taxpayers between the amount of money we should fork over on Tax Day (May 17 this year) – and how much we deserve in return.”
Overall, according to the group’s annual taxpayer survey, 74% of Americans feel government hasn’t handled tax dollars well during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
While Indiana ranked 15th overall and 22nd in total taxes paid per capita, it ranked 18th services, 11th in education, 29th in health, 23rd in economy and 17th in infrastructure and pollution.
Generally, taxpayers in Republican leaning states ranked higher than Democrat leaning states. New Hampshire, according to the report, gave taxpayers the best return on their money, followed by Florida, South Dakota and Virginia.
Originally published by The Center Square. Republished with permission.
