State By State Breakdown

The calculation of Cost of Government Day (COGD) for each state is based on the varying government burdens suffered in each state. Certainly, federal tax and spending burdens are a large contributing factor. These federal burdens vary because relatively higher burdens are borne by states with relatively higher incomes. Of course, state and local tax and spending burdens vary by state as well.

As in previous years, the latest Cost of Government Day is in Connecticut, with the average worker toiling all the way until September 7 to pay off all the costs of government at each level. The dubious honor of second place is held by New Jersey, with COGD now falling on September 6. New York is right behind on August 31, followed by California and Maryland. 

See below how the states fare in this year's ranking.  For more information and state coverage, please refer to the From the States and Media Coverage sections.

State	Rank in 2008	Rank in 2009	# of Days Worked for Cost of Govt.	COGD 2009
Alaska	1	1	192	11-Jul
Louisiana	13	2	199	18-Jul
Mississippi	2	3	199	18-Jul
South Dakota	10	4	201	20-Jul
North Dakota	12	5	205	24-Jul
West Virginia	4	6	205	24-Jul
Alabama	5	7	207	26-Jul
New Mexico	9	8	207	26-Jul
Kentucky	6	9	209	28-Jul
Montana	3	10	209	28-Jul
Arkansas	21	11	210	29-Jul
Iowa	17	12	210	29-Jul
Oklahoma	8	13	210	29-Jul
South Carolina	18	14	210	29-Jul
Tennessee	7	15	212	31-Jul
Wyoming	30	16	212	31-Jul
Maine	29	17	213	1-Aug
Missouri	15	18	213	1-Aug
Texas	11	19	213	1-Aug
Indiana	22	20	216	4-Aug
Kansas	25	21	216	4-Aug
Nebraska	26	22	216	4-Aug
Nevada	40	23	216	4-Aug
Florida	42	24	218	6-Aug
North Carolina	24	25	218	6-Aug
Oregon	19	26	218	6-Aug
Arizona	31	27	219	7-Aug
Michigan	20	28	219	7-Aug
New Hampshire	16	29	219	7-Aug
Delaware	14	30	221	9-Aug
Ohio	23	31	221	9-Aug
Colorado	36	32	223	11-Aug
Georgia	28	33	223	11-Aug
Idaho	32	34	223	11-Aug
Vermont	27	35	223	11-Aug
National Average	-	-	224	12-Aug
District of Columbia	-	-	224	12-Aug
Hawaii	41	36	224	12-Aug
Illinois	35	37	224	12-Aug
Utah	34	38	224	12-Aug
Wisconsin	37	39	224	12-Aug
Pennsylvania	33	40	226	14-Aug
Rhode Island	38	41	226	14-Aug
Minnesota	43	42	227	15-Aug
Massachusetts	45	43	229	17-Aug
Virginia	39	44	229	17-Aug
Washington	46	45	229	17-Aug
Maryland	44	46	233	21-Aug
California	47	47	235	23-Aug
New York	48	48	243	31-Aug
New Jersey	49	49	249	6-Sep
Connecticut	50	50	250	7-Sep

<< Go Back                                                    Main                                                        Next  >>

---

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