Thirty-three states receive revenue from severance taxes, which are excise taxes on natural resources such as oil or coal. The state that receives the most revenue from this type of taxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. —with its large oil reserves—is Alaska by far with nearly $4 billion collected in 2009 according to Census. Below is a map highlighting the states with the highest severance tax collections in 2009.
