W.Va.’s State, Local Tax Burden 8th Highest In U.S., Study Finds

The Associated Press, September 11, 2004

West Virginia had the eighth-highest state and local tax burden in the United States in 2002, according to a study by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation.

The foundation ranked tax burden per $1,000 of personal income, which foundation president Michael Widmer believes is a more accurate reflection than a per capita assessment.

According to the foundation’s calculations, West Virginia ’s tax burden was $111.68 per $1,000 of personal income.

The top 10 were New York ($130.79), Maine ($130.16), Wyoming ($121.97), Hawaii ($120.62), Wisconsin ($117.26), Rhode Island ($113.63), Minnesota ($113.14), West Virginia , New Mexico ($111.45) and Louisiana ($111.26).

Tennessee , at $83.39, had the lowest tax burden in the country, according to the report.

The rest of the bottom 10, from 41st to 49th, were South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Florida, Colorado, Oregon, South Dakota, Alabama and New Hampshire. Their tax burdens per $1,000 of personal income ranged, in descending order, from $95.82 to $84.65.

On the Net: Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation: www.masstaxpayers.org