Mississippi, Puerto Rico and Arkansas share some things you know, and not just rice fields.
They could quadruple all tax rates there and the total tax "take" from the state's economy would still not crank them up to "average".
George Wallace worked the "bottom up angle" for years and years and was wildly popular with the people ~ they really did want taxes raised, public infrastructure improved (particularly the schools), and Alabama's image dramatically improved.
Taxes on groceries, gasoline, nursing home beds, cigarettes, beer, and sales taxes are regressive taxes. They affect those of the lowest incomes the most.