This survey is deceiving. As pointed out, there is a reason Alaska is a low tax state and it has more to do with natural resources than conservative government. Second, this survey lumps too much together. Take Pennsylvania. It has an obscenely high corporate tax rate but has a fairly low flat tax on residential income. The sales tax exempts food, clothing and a bunch of other necessities. I wouldn’t necessarily consider Pennsylvania a high tax state. It certainly isn’t a “soak the rich” progressive tax state.
You have hundreds of taxes piled on, all kinds of costs like sewerage & water costs that you can't get out from under with a septic tank & well. You have tons of revenue schemes that dole out licenses & permits. You have a system in place that it all feeds on itself and continues to grow exponentially. My friends back there cry the blues, but are too scared & controlled to take the chance and get out from under it all.
Ya know what shocked me? When I came to Alaska, people were complaining about state govt spending too much, and they didn't pay any taxes anyway. It left me scratching my head in amazement. Oil does fund state govt up here, but it's not how much you make, it's how much you spend that matters.
Honestly, I feel sorry for Pennsylvania, it's only going to get worse with time and now since the govt has you residents convinced how under taxed you all are;;;; that should speed up some.
You’re right - - Pennsylvania isn’t as bad as the survey makes it out to be. Part of it may be that cities like Philadelphia have additional sales and business taxes that are through the roof.