Cost of Government Day (COGD)
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Title: It's the day you've finally paid for government

Date: July 11, 2003

Source: Iowa Radio

Words: 193

Today is national "Cost of Government Day" according to a national taxpayers group. Paul Prososki, an analyst with "Americans for Tax Reform," says the group figures out how long you have to work to pay off the "cost" of government. The group calculates the cost of all government spending at the local, state and federal level and all regulations they must comply with, and this year that day is July 11th. Iowa has an earlier cost-of-government day than most, on July 1, and he says while the average American "works for the government" 193 days of the year, Iowans only work 183 days for the government before they start working for themselves. Prososki says we don't necessarily get a break because we have less government in Iowa. He says a lot of it comes down to income, since in high-income states like New York or Connecticut everything costs more, including government. Iowa's low cost of living gives us a bit of a break, the analyst says. The national taxpayers group is not only against taxes, it says that regulations act as "hidden tax increases" that make goods and services more expensive to consumers.

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