PA Tax Burden Up Again

The Tax Foundation's latest data on state and local tax burdens was released today

I have been citing their data (to the consternation of the pro-government spending advocates) in both my Senate and House budget testimonies, and the latest update only hammers home my point about PA taxes.

• Pennsylvania has the 24th highest state and local tax burden (percent of income spent on state and local taxes) in 2007
• State and local taxes consume 10.8% of Pennsylvanians' income, about $4,400 per person.
• PA's State and Local burden has increased from 8.8% in 1970 (a 23% increase) and from 9.3% as recently as 1990 (a 16% increase).
• PA had the 42nd highest tax burden in 1990--we have passed 18 states by raising taxes since then.