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spiderplanetWho Pays? is a study to assess the fairness of each state’s tax system, measuring the state and local taxes paid by different income groups in 2007.
I looked at Minnesota first because I live in Minnesota. The poorest 20% of Minnesotans pay about 9.2% of their income in taxes, the wealthiest 1% pay about 6.6% of their income in taxes. It turns out that's close to average.
...and I kept scrolling through...
The wealthiest 1% always pays the lowest tax rate, everywhere in the country, with one exception. In The District of Columbia, the wealthiest 1% of the population don't pay the lowest tax rate, they pay the second lowest tax rate. In D. C., the poorest pay 6.2% of their income in taxes, and the wealthiest pay 6.4 %. Everyone else pays more. The highest tax rate in D.C. is for the middle 20% on the income scale.
D.C.'s new slogan should be "We're Least Regressive!"
On average in the United States, the poorest fifth pay 10.9% of their income in taxes, and the wealthiest 1% pay 5.2% of their income - a little less than half of what the poor pay as a percentage of total income.
The most regressive state is Washington, where the poorest 20% pay 17.3% of their income in taxes, and the wealthiest 1% pay 2.9% of their income in taxes. Municipalities in Washington State are currently seeking new sources of revenue... like increasing fines on library books for elementary school children.
To make a long story short; Ben Stein should probably shut the fuck up.
I looked at Minnesota first because I live in Minnesota. The poorest 20% of Minnesotans pay about 9.2% of their income in taxes, the wealthiest 1% pay about 6.6% of their income in taxes. It turns out that's close to average.
...and I kept scrolling through...
The wealthiest 1% always pays the lowest tax rate, everywhere in the country, with one exception. In The District of Columbia, the wealthiest 1% of the population don't pay the lowest tax rate, they pay the second lowest tax rate. In D. C., the poorest pay 6.2% of their income in taxes, and the wealthiest pay 6.4 %. Everyone else pays more. The highest tax rate in D.C. is for the middle 20% on the income scale.
D.C.'s new slogan should be "We're Least Regressive!"
On average in the United States, the poorest fifth pay 10.9% of their income in taxes, and the wealthiest 1% pay 5.2% of their income - a little less than half of what the poor pay as a percentage of total income.
The most regressive state is Washington, where the poorest 20% pay 17.3% of their income in taxes, and the wealthiest 1% pay 2.9% of their income in taxes. Municipalities in Washington State are currently seeking new sources of revenue... like increasing fines on library books for elementary school children.
To make a long story short; Ben Stein should probably shut the fuck up.
