Journal Article

Do New England state and local governments have too many employees, and are they overpaid?

Abstract: Americans tend to be ambivalent about their state and local governments. On the one hand, they desire and receive a host of public services from state and local governments, including education, police and fire protection, and the maintenance of roadways. Voters are often disenchanted by efforts to curtail these services or by a deterioration in their quality. On the other hand, many Americans think that their state and local taxes, especially local property taxes, are too high, and many citizens believe that their state and local tax dollars could be used more efficiently. Calls for streamlining government agencies and downsizing the public sector are commonplace across the nation.

Keywords: Local government - New England; U. S. states - Officials and employees;

Bibliographic Information

Provider: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Part of Series: Fiscal Facts

Publication Date: 2005

Issue: Sum

Pages: 1-6, 12

Order Number: 34