If there’s one thing every taxpayer wants to know, it’s how their money is being spent. In the case of the Trump Cabinet, the answer is fairly simple: luxury travel, golf, and (in Scott Pruitt’s case) a soundproof privacy booth with pretty fountain pens.
However, not every state official can live quite so lavishly on the taxpayer’s dime. In high-tax states like Maine and Ohio, residents have a right to see how much is going to education, health care, and other essentials.
The U.S. Census Bureau can help here. With the most recent data (published May 2018) at our disposal, we can see which states spend the most on their residents — and how. Here are the 15 state governments that spend the most per capita.
Culture Cheat Sheet
Eric Schaal
June 14, 2018