August 12, 2009 - Cost of Government Day Has Arrived!

Available Now: The Cost of Government Day 2010 Report!

Every year, the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation and the Center for Fiscal Accountability calculate Cost of Government Day. This is the day on which the average American has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of the spending and regulatory burdens imposed by government at the federal, state, and local levels.

In 2009, Cost of Government Day falls on August 12.  Working people must toil 224 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government - a full 26 days longer than last year.

In other words, in 2009 the cost of government consumes 61.34 percent of national income.

To view a pdf of this year's report, click here. 

To read the report on your computer, and to view additional resources, including a chart room, media coverage, as well as last year's report click on the index below.

If you missed this year's launch event at the National Press Club, you can watch it here under "video coverage."

 2009 Report

• About the Author / The Thomas Jefferson Fellowship
  
• A Message from Grover Norquist and CFA Executive Director Sandra Fabry
  
• Overview of Results
  
• Cost of Government Day Components
  
• State By State Breakdown
  
• The Government Spending Burden
  
• State Tax Increases
  
• Government Employees
  
• The Regulatory Burden
  
• Interstate Migration
  
• Closing Statement
  

Case Studies

• The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)
• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA)
• Cap-and-Trade
• Tax-Deferral and Foreign Tax Credit
• The Value-Added Tax (VAT)
• The Davis-Bacon Act

From the States - Guest Case Studies

• California: The Golden State's Self-Inflicted Crisis
• New Jersey: "The Perfect Bad Example"   

Methodology
Chart Room
Media Coverage
Further Resources

2008 Report