Texas ranks fifth in the amount of total taxes paid per capita but residents also get a solid return on that investment, according to a new ranking from WalletHub.
WalletHub used 30 metrics to compare the quality and efficiency of state government services across five categories — education, health, safety, economy, and infrastructure and pollution — taking into account the different tax rates in each state.
The survey found that 55 percent of U.S. adults overall feel they pay too much in taxes, and 90 percent don’t think the government uses their tax revenue wisely.
Texas ranked seventh in the overall value residents get in return for their tax dollars according to the WalletHub criteria, but 38th overall for government services, with an score of 47.06 out of 100.
You can see how all 50 states ranked for overall taxpayer ROI by clicking here.
Texas ranked 18th in ROI for economy. Infrastructure and pollution scored near last at 49th, including a rank of 46th for the condition of roads and bridges.
Stacey Jurhree, coordinator of the Political Science/Government department and coordinator of the Eastfield College Scholarship Institute at Eastfield College in Mesquite, said states with higher tax burdens do not necessarily provide better government services because the services are often not allocated equally and the middle class has to carry most of the heavy tax burden.
Jurhee also noted that local governments are often run by elected officials who "lack the political, economic, and social skills to develop and make sound intellectual judgments," or who lack expertise in the programs they’re implementing.
“This is a major problem I see in Dallas. As a result, the taxpayers’ money is being wasted through trial and error,” he said.
The state with the best ROI on its taxes is New Hampshire, according to the data, followed by South Dakota, Florida, Virginia and Colorado.
