Maine depends on federal dollars more than almost any state in the East, study says
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Maine relies on federal government spending more than most states, and more than any in the Northeast, according to a new analysis.
Maine and Mainers rely on federal spending more than most states and their residents — and more than any in the Northeast.
That’s one of the findings from a new analysis of tax, census and labor data by financial website WalletHub.
Maine ranked No. 13 in the comparison of states with the greatest financial dependence on the U.S. government. The northeastern state with the next-highest ranking was Pennsylvania, No. 16.
The WalletHub study, released Tuesday, looked at a variety of criteria, including each state’s “return” on federal taxes paid. WalletHUb defined that payback as the total amount of federal funding of all types within a state, versus the total amount of federal taxes paid.
Criteria also included the share of federal jobs employing each state’s workforce, as well as the portion of state government revenues originating in Washington, D.C.
In a related comparison of federal dependence among the states’ residents, Maine ranked No. 11. A ranking of the reliance by state governments placed Maine’s at No. 19.
Overall rankings
Maine’s overall ranking of No. 13 in federal dependence put it just ahead of Tennessee, No. 14, and just behind Wyoming, No. 12. South Carolina ranked No. 11.
Within New England, Vermont ranked next-highest, at No. 18, followed by Rhode Island, No. 30; Connecticut, No. 31; New Hampshire, No. 36; and Massachusetts, No. 43.
Alaska ranked No.1, as the state most dependent on federal dollars, while Delaware was No. 50, the least dependent.
For more information and the complete findings, click here.
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That's why it's so discouraging to see so many potentially meaningful employment generating projects aggressively opposed, as though Maine doesn't need to worry about its economic future.
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