Albany, NY — The Rockefeller Institute of Government has released its fourth annual report examining the distribution of federal budget receipts and expenditures across the United States, providing policymakers and the public with vital information about the redistribution of federal funding and its impact in each state.
New York State remains the largest donor state in the nation for the fifth consecutive year with a negative balance of $22.8 billion for 2019, and a cumulative five-year negative balance of $142.6 billion. In 2019, New York’s per capita balance of payments of $1,172 was $3,584 more than the Federal balance of payments average on a per capita basis.
The Institute's analysis examines where federal funds were generated and spent in 2019, the balance of payments differential that exists between states, the primary explanations for those differences, and how these gaps may change over time. The report is accompanied by an interactive dashboard that allows users to explore the distribution of funds across all 50 states and view state-by-state breakdowns of how funds are spent.
“The residents of New York continue to give more to the federal government than every state in the nation,” said Laura Schultz, executive director of research at the Rockefeller Institute. "This report provides evidence-based analysis of how Federal tax dollars are collected and distributed—a valuable resource for fiscal policy and appropriation discussions. The analysis is particularly important this year as we begin to consider how recent changes to Federal tax code and the COVID-19 pandemic have changed the fiscal relationship between the Federal government and the states."
Using the latest spending data available from 2019, its findings include:
- New York's negative balance of $22.8 billion is larger than that of second-ranked New Jersey (-$10.3 billion) and third-ranked Massachusetts (-$9.9 billion) combined. Connecticut and Colorado round out the list of the states with the least favorable balances.
- The federal per capita balance of payments in 2019 is $2,412. The New York State per capita balance of payments is -$1,172, or $3,584 more than the federal average.
- Over five years, New York taxpayers have given $142.6 billion more to the federal government than they received back in federal spending—the widest gap in the nation. The next closest state is New Jersey with a negative balance of $84.1 billion.
- Kentucky displaced Virginia for the top spot this year for per capita balance of payments at $14,153—$11,741 above the average.
The report was authored by Rockefeller Institute Executive Director of Research Laura Schultz with technical assistance and consultation from the New York State Division of the Budget and input from experts in federal agencies and think tanks.
