Cost of Government Spending Day is July 6

According to the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation, the date of the annual Cost of Government Day was Tuesday, June 22. This is if you calculate the cost of government by what government spends rather than what it takes. For our state’s citizens, the Cost of Government Day (federal state and local spending plus the costs of regulation) was June 28 since our government spending and regulatory burden is greater than the national average. But, if one were to calculate the amount of money government takes (taxes plus regulation), the average Washington taxpayer will work until July 6 to pay the cost.

The difference between the May Tax Freedom Day and the July Cost of Government Day is the addition of regulatory costs average Americans pay on top of taxes.

Government will spend $3.72 trillion in 1999, up from $3.56 trillion in 1998. This translates into $13,939 for every man, woman and child in America.

Of the 187 days spent working for the government in 1999, Washingtonians will work:

• 137 days to pay federal, state and local taxes;
• 129 days for federal, state and local government spending; 137 days for what government takes;
• 50 days to pay for the state and federal regulatory burden.

Contact: Marsha Richards, Communications Director, (360) 956-3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org