See where Alabama’s tax burden ranks among our sister states

 

Alabama is known as a low tax state, but are we the lowest?

Not even close.

We’re No. 14, according to a recent Tax Foundation report titled “Facts & Figures 2017: How does your state compare?”

The study examined the individual local, county and state level taxes, but excluded federal collections.

Here’s how Alabama did:

— Taxes paid as percentage of income: 8.7 percent

— Income per capita: $38,896 (fourth lowest)

— Income tax collections per capita: $687 (14th lowest)

— Property tax collections per capita: $522 (The lowest. No. 1. Roll Tide.)

— General sales tax collections per capita: $507 (seventh lowest)

While most assume that the federal government collects the lion’s share of individual taxes, the report found that nearly 80 percent of the taxes Americans pay go straight to local and state governments via sales taxes, gas taxes, property taxes, and income taxes among many other avenues for revenue collection.

For state and local governments, every day is April 15.

 Be smart: Who we elect as mayors, to our city councils and county commissions, the state legislature and the governor’s office matters far more to our wallet than who we elect to Congress or the White House. Many people can name the president, but how many can name the chairman of their county commission? Some can name their congressman, but how many know the name of their state legislator?

How did our neighbor’s perform in the study?

— Tennessee: No. 4, with 7.3 percent in taxes paid as a percentage of income.

— Mississippi: No. 11, with 8.6 percent.

— Florida: No. 16, with 8.9 percent.

— Georgia: No. 19, with 9.1 percent.

(Do you think we are Taxed Enough Already? Take this post over to Facebook and tell your friends why.)