LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A recently released study claims Arkansas provides poor value for its citizens compared to the tax money it receives.
Consumer finance site WalletHub reported Tuesday that Arkansas ranks 47 out of 50 states for taxpayers’ return on investment.
The study measured 29 metrics to measure the quality of service in education, infrastructure and pollution, economy, health and safety to arrive at the final score.
Arkansas ranked 33rd for taxes paid per capita but came in at 44 out of 50 for overall government services. That ranking came despite relatively good scores in education and infrastructure and pollution.
The economy is where the score started dropping, with a 38 out of 50 ranking, followed by a poor showing in health at 41 and safety almost at the bottom at 49.
The safety score reflects a tie score at the bottom of the list in violent crime rates, with Arkansas tied with Louisiana, Tennessee, New Mexico and Alaska as having the most violent crime per capita.
The study scored New Hampshire as having the best taxpayer return on investment, followed by Florida. California finished in last place with a 50 score for its taxpayer ROI, with Hawaii just above it at 49.
