Every year the Tax Foundation publishes the date for “Tax Freedom Day.” Today, the 103rd day of 2009, is the overall Tax Freedom Day for the whole country.
Tax Freedom Day is the first day taxpayers start earning money for themselves. From Jan. 1 till Tax Freedom Day, all of one’s earnings go to paying federal, state and local taxes. The average American in 2009 will work 102 days to pay all federal, state and local taxes!
This year Tax Freedom Day arrived the earliest since 1967. The Tax Foundation gives this explanation:
This shift has been driven by two factors: the recession has reduced tax collections even faster than it has reduced income; and the stimulus package, a.k.a. HR 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, includes large temporary tax cuts for 2009 and 2010.
Economist Josh Barro’s special report, April 13 is Tax Freedom Day, gives many details including variation by state, which is shown in Map 1.
Map 1. Kansas and surrounding states, along with their Tax Freedom Day and Rank.
Tax Freedom Day and Rank for Kansas and Surrounding States
The first state (rank 50) to enjoy Tax Freedom Day this year was Alaska on March 23. The second state (rank 49) to enjoy Tax Freedom Day was Louisiana on March 28.
The rank index minus one gives the number of other states with higher overall taxes. Subtracting the rank from 50, gives the number of states with lower taxes.
Kansas’ Tax Freedom Day was last week on April 8. Kansas’ rank of 30 means 29 other states have higher total taxes, and 20 other states have lower taxes.
Map 1 above, or Table 1 below, shows the Tax Freedom Day, the number of work days to pay for taxes, and the 2009 rank.
Table 1. Tax Freedom Day for Kansas and surrounding states.
| State | 2009 Tax Freedom Day | Work days to pay taxes | 2009 Rank |
| Kansas | April 8 | 98 | 30 |
| Missouri | April 6 | 96 | 34 |
| Nebraska | April 8 | 98 | 31 |
| Colorado | April 12 | 102 | 16 |
| Oklahoma | April 4 | 94 | 40 |
Comparing Kansas to nearby states, Kansas has higher taxes than Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Kansas only has lower taxes than Colorado.
Economist Barro shows the Chart 1 to explain the breakdown of taxes by category between federal and state & local taxes:
Chart 1. Average number of days worked to pay taxes by type of tax and level of government for calendar year 2009.
The U.S. Census gives estimates of total state taxes by state, as well as population estimates. In past years (like 2005), the U.S. Census would give a per capital state tax number. Now the Census gives one the two sets of numbers but does not compute the per capita tax. This computed per capita state tax is shown below for Kansas an surrounding states for 2008:
Map 2. Per capita state taxes for Kansas and surrounding states.
The figures in Map 2 above, or Table 2 below, vary a bit from those from the Tax Foundation.
When only state taxes are considered, Kansas is a little higher than Nebraska or Oklahoma, but significantly higher than Missouri or Colorado. Missouri has significantly lower state taxes than Kansas, and the Tax Foundation found that Kansans work two more days than Missourians to pay all taxes.
The Tax Foundation found Colorado to be a much higher tax state than shown here when only state taxes were considered. Apparently, local taxes in Colorado are much more significant than in Kansas or surrounding states.
Table 2. U.S. Census Figures and derived per capita state tax for Kansas and surrounding states.
| State | State Taxes 2008 | Population 2008 | Per Capita State Tax 2008 |
| Kansas | $7,159,748,000 | 2,802,134 | $2555 |
| Missouri | $10,965,171,000 | 5,911,605 | $1855 |
| Nebraska | $4,175,471,000 | 1,783,432 | $2341 |
| Colorado | $9,624,636,000 | 4,939,456 | $1949 |
| Oklahoma | $8,484,227,000 | 3,642,361 | $2329 |
Why is Kansas such a high tax state when compared to most of its neighbors?
Related:
- Kansas City Tea Party: Common People with a Common Cause
- Tea Party Protests Planned on Tax Day in Johnson County, KMBC TV, April 13, 2009.
- April 13 is Tax Freedom Day, Josh Barro, Tax Foundation, April 2009.
- States ranked by total state taxes: 2008, U.S. Census Bureau.
- Population Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau.
Tags: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Per capita state taxes, Tax Freedom Day
