Oregonians have spent more of their incomes on taxes than Americans on average. The latest figures are from 2011 and illustrate state and local 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. burdens on people nationwide.
Oregonians on average paid about ten percent of their incomes in state and local taxes.
The study from the non-profit Tax Foundation found Oregon has the 16th highest tax burden in the country.
New Yorkers paid the highest percentage of their incomes overall, and residents of Wyoming the lowest.
Liz Malm co-wrote the report. She says this information helps taxpayers see the share of their income that goes towards taxes relative to other states.
“It’s important to have an accurate picture of the cost side so they can compare the services they receive from the government to that.”
Malm says the top three tax-paying states have been New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for several years.
Since states have different tax structures, the study took into account all the different ways that state, city, and county governments tax their residents.
That way, the Tax Foundation says its comparison was apples-to-apples.
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