Revenues and Expenditures of State and Local Governments in the Great Plains

Excerpt from the report Summary: Expenditures and revenues of the Plains States conform in many respects to a common pattern; this pattern differs insignificant ways from that outside the Plains. There are contrasts also between the individual States in the region and between the Southern Plains (Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico) and the Northern Plains States (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana). Generally speaking, State and local governments spend substantially more per capita in the Plains States than the U. S. average. The same was true of expenditure in relation to per capita personal income. The above average level of per capita public expenditure in the Great Plains requires above-average revenues. To a large extent this need is met by revenue from the Federal Government. Wyoming especially obtains a large proportion of general revenue from the Federal Government, but all 10 Plains States are above the U, S. average. In addition, the Plains States cover a larger share of their expenditures from charges and miscellaneous revenues than do most other States. All except Kansas and Montana were above the U. S. average in 1960 in the proportion of general revenue derived from these sources. Such revenues include fees and rentals on public lands and oil and mineral royalties.