| "Floridians have received less federal stimulus money than any of their fellow Americans, despite an unemployment rate here that ranks among the highest in the country and a budget crisis that few states can match. 'It just shows how inept Florida's government officials are,' Florida TaxWatch President Dominic Calabro said."
Although that may be true, Mr. Calabro can't help but inject a bit 'o wingnuttery into the conversation: "Relying on Washington has always been a bad deal for Florida." "Florida ranks last in money received per person from the stimulus package".
Washington "has always been a bad deal for Florida"? Oh really?
It is no secret that Mr. Calabro and his patrons have a tedious right wing agenda, which explains why he is repeatedly quoted as a font of wisdom by Florida's "journalists".
Truth be told, relying on Washington has actually been a very good deal for Florida, to the detriment of Northern states that have subsidized Florida's low tax status for decades. For example, according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, in the 25 years through 2005, Florida received far more money from DC than it paid in federal taxes, making Florida one of the biggest federal money leeches among all states. See "Federal Taxes Paid vs. Federal Spending Received by State, 1981-2005" ("Comparing the amount of federal taxes sent to Washington with the amount of federal spending coming back to the state"). See generally "Do Southern Senators Really Want to Start a New War Between the States?" ("Southern states have been benefiting from Northern taxes for years.") But TaxWatch said it, so it must be true. |
