November, 20 2014, 09:00am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Becky Sweger, bsweger@nationalpriorities.org
Lindsay Koshgarian, lkoshgarian@nationalpriorities.org
T: 413-584-9556
WASHINGTON
A new report from National Priorities Project (NPP, nationalpriorities.org) highlights findings from extensive investigation into government data tracking federal spending at the state level. The report, State Smart: Federal Funding in 50 States, is available online and as a PDF download.
For the first time since 2010, the last year available from Census Bureau's now-discontinued Consolidated Federal Funds Report (previously the best source for data on federal spending in the states), the report offers details about how the federal government is spending taxpayer dollars to benefit residents in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
"Our business is making the federal budget understandable to regular people and one of the most important ways to do that is to put some geography in the mix to show people how money from the federal budget is coming to their states," said Becky Sweger, NPP's Director of Data and Technology and the lead author of the report.
By examining federal spending between 2007 and 2013, NPP's State Smart report uses data to show that patterns in government funding were significantly impacted by the Great Recession. During the worst economic years, 2007-2010, most states received an uptick in federal funds, while at the same time they were sending fewer dollars back to the federal government through taxes. The data demonstrate that all states received federal investment to encourage economic activity and stability.
"While a properly functioning safety net clearly benefits those unfortunate enough to fall on hard times during an economic downturn, we all benefit from the stabilizing impact such federal expenditures have on the overall economy," commented Sweger.
Other findings from the report show the impact of decreased government contract spending as a result of the 2013 sequester, and the vital role that Medicare and Social Security spending play in every state.
The report examines national trends in federal funds to states across four spending categories: Federal Aid to Individuals, Grants to State and Local Governments, Federal Contracts, and Federal Employee Compensation. It also looks at state contributions to the federal budget through a variety of tax mechanisms over time.
Complete datasets in each of the four spending areas, for all fifty states and the District of Columbia, are available to members of the media.
The National Priorities Project (NPP) is a 501(c)(3) research organization that analyzes and clarifies federal data so that people can understand and influence how their tax dollars are spent. Located in Northampton, MA, since 1983, NPP focuses on the impact of federal spending and other policies at the national, state, congressional district and local levels. For more information, go to https://nationalpriorities.org.
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