By Ronald J. Hansen, The Republic
Only eight states have seen their tax collections remain lower than Arizona’s since 2008, a new analysis of state finances has found.
In 2013, Arizona still took in 10.1 percent less in taxes than it did in 2008 after adjusting for inflation, the Pew Charitable Trusts reported in the latest update to its report on the fiscal health of all 50 states. The collections are measured against 2008 because that is when tax collections peaked nationally.
As a group, the states finally edged ahead of 2008 tax collections at the end of 2013. But they did so even with 26 states still taking in less than they did at the peak, Pew noted.
