Massachusetts facts

From the estimable Tax Foundation, a few fiscal facts about Massachusetts.

Among the most interesting is this fact.

Federal Tax Burdens and Expenditures: Massachusetts is a Donor State
Massachusetts taxpayers receive less federal funding per dollar of federal taxes paid compared to the average state. Per dollar of Federal tax collected in 2004, Massachusetts citizens received approximately $0.77 in the way of federal spending. This ranks the state 44th nationally and represents a significant fall from 1992 when Massachusetts received $1.01 per dollar of taxes in federal spending (when the state ranked 31st nationally). Neighboring states and the amount of federal spending they received per dollar of federal taxes paid were as follows: Rhode Island ($1.02), Connecticut ($0.66), New York ($0.79), New Hampshire ($0.67), and Vermont ($1.12).

I understand that several red states are net gainers at the federal trough. But what exactly has Massachusetts vaunted "kick-ass" delegation been doing over the last few decades?

My guess is that even with a new Democratic majority in Congress, spending will continue to be directed to those red states. The Democrats there won by slim margins and it just may be the Blue Dogs turn to bring the bacon home. Add to that growing concerns about losing a member of the Massachusetts delegation to redistricting and the "donor" problem could get worse.

More about donor states here.