National Tax Burden and Government Spending
Below are two tables illustrating the expected combined 2008 budget for federal, state and local governments. The first details sources of government funds; the second displays how government spends money.
2008 Projected Federal, State and Local Tax Burden
Billions of Dollars | % of Total Gov Expenditures | |
| New Borrowing | $471 | 10.0% |
| Total Receipts | $4,219 | 90.0% |
| Income Taxes | 1,497 | 31.9% |
| Motor Vehicle Taxes and Licenses | 26 | 0.5% |
| Estate, Gift and Other Personal Taxes | 35 | 0.7% |
| Gen Sales Tax | 321 | 6.8% |
| Gasoline | 63 | 1.3% |
| Alcohol | 13 | 0.3% |
| Tobacco | 23 | 0.5% |
| Diesel fuel | 8 | 0.2% |
| Air Transport | 11 | 0.2% |
| Public Utilities | 27 | 0.6% |
| Insurance Receipts | 17 | 0.4% |
| Property Taxes | 418 | 8.9% |
| Severance Taxes | 12 | 0.2% |
| Special assessments | 8 | 0.2% |
| Customs duties | 23 | 0.5% |
| Other Taxes on Production and imports | 109 | 2.3% |
| Corporate Income Tax | 398 | 8.5% |
| Taxes Paid by Foreigners | 11 | 0.2% |
| Social Security and Medicare | 820 | 17.5% |
| Supplementary Med Ins | 45 | 1.0% |
| Unemployment Ins | 45 | 1.0% |
| Railroad Retirement | 4 | 0.1% |
| Pension Benefit Guaranty | 2 | 0.0% |
| Vets Life Insurance | 0 | 0.0% |
| Workers Comp | 26 | 0.5% |
| Military Medical Insurance | 3 | 0.1% |
| Temporary Disability (obsolete) | 0 | 0.0% |
| State and Local Ins Funds | 6 | 0.1% |
| Income Receipts on assets | 118 | 2.5% |
| Fines, Fees, and Settlements from Business | 62 | 1.3% |
| Fines and Fees from Persons | 84 | 1.8% |
| Postal Service | (4) | -0.1% |
| Fed Housing Admin | 2 | 0.0% |
| Tennessee Valley Authority | 2 | 0.0% |
| Lotteries and Other Gov Businesses | 18 | 0.4% |
| Water & Sewage | 7 | 0.1% |
| Gas & Electricity | 5 | 0.1% |
| Toll facilities | 3 | 0.1% |
| Liquor Stores | 1 | 0.0% |
| Air and Water Terminals | 4 | 0.1% |
| Housing and Urban Renewal | (22) | -0.5% |
| Public Transport | (31) | -0.7% |
Negative receipts, such as those shown for the Postal Service, Housing and Urban Renewal, and Public Transport line are losses to the government.
2008 Projected Federal State and Local Expenditures
Billions of Dollars | % of Total Gov Expenditures | |
| Total Expenditures | 4,690 | 100.0% |
| Executive and Legislative | 98 | 2.1% |
| Tax Collection and Financial Mgmt | 54 | 1.1% |
| Net Interest Paid | 341 | 7.3% |
| Other Gen Public Svc | 95 | 2.0% |
| National Defense | 586 | 12.5% |
| Police | 131 | 2.8% |
| Fire | 40 | 0.9% |
| Law Courts | 55 | 1.2% |
| Prisons | 86 | 1.8% |
| Highways | 165 | 3.5% |
| Air Transport | 26 | 0.6% |
| Water Transport | 15 | 0.3% |
| Transit & Railroads | 3 | 0.1% |
| Space | 15 | 0.3% |
| Gen Economic and Labor Affairs | 38 | 0.8% |
| Agriculture | 37 | 0.8% |
| Energy | 13 | 0.3% |
| Natural Resources | 33 | 0.7% |
| Other Econ Affairs | 19 | 0.4% |
| Housing and Community Services | 45 | 1.0% |
| Health | 939 | 20.0% |
| Recreation and Culture | 34 | 0.7% |
| K-12 Education | 628 | 13.4% |
| Higher Education | 131 | 2.8% |
| Libraries | 12 | 0.3% |
| Other Ed | 56 | 1.2% |
| Disability | 156 | 3.3% |
| Retirement | 510 | 10.9% |
| Welfare and social services | 217 | 4.6% |
| Unemployment | 33 | 0.7% |
| Other Income Security | 78 | 1.6% |
These numbers are compiled from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) National Income and Product Accounts (NIPAs) tables and Congressional Budget Office baseline projections for 2008. State and local numbers are projected forward using their 10-year historical growth rates.
