Does the Federal Government Care About Louisiana? New Study Says Not Much

Every year Tax Day is be a painful reminder of how much we have to invest in federal, state and local governments. The fact is, however, that many of us are unaware of exactly what we get back in return. As a result, there's a disconnect - okay, resentment - in the minds of taxpayers between the amount of money we fork over to the Feds and how much we get in return.

Guess What? Most Folks Think Government Wastes Money

The latest study by the personal finance website, WalletHub, show that 81% of people think the government doesn’t spend their tax dollars wisely. The WalletHub study explores what is referred to as ROI, or taxpayer return on investment. Although Federal income-tax rates are uniform across the nation, some states receive far more federal funding than others.

And Louisiana is near the bottom.

Basically, We Pay a Lot and Get Very Little

The WalletHub study used 30 metrics to compare the quality and efficiency of government services across five categories - Education, Health, Safety, Economy, and Infrastructure & Pollution - taking into account the drastically different rates at which citizens are taxed in each state. And though Louisianans pay some of the highest taxes in the USA, what we get in return is minimal.

Who's Getting Louisiana's Tax Dollars, 'Cause It Sure Ain't Us

Here's a closer look. In Return on Investment, Louisiana ranks 42nd, even though we rank 10th of all the states in per capita taxes paid. And sadly, that's the good news.

In dollars received for infrastructure to fight pollution, Louisiana ranks 45th. In monies for education and health, we're 46th. Safety and education? 48th and 49th. And worst of all, When the study totaled the tax dollars paid for government services received, Louisiana is 50th out of 50.

To see the complete WalletHub study of Best & Worst Taxpayer Return on Investment, including a state-by-state breakdown and a closer look at Louisiana taxes and benefits, JUST CLICK HERE!