When it comes to state and local taxes, some Americans bear a heavier burden than others, according to analysis by the Tax Foundation, a nonpartisan research group.
The research also provides something of a report card on the unusually large number of sitting and former state governors running for president — and their campaign promises to tame the federal budget. For those governors running for president, the numbers show wide variation in their records in holding the line on taxes.
Overall, the burden of state and local taxes — as a percentage of total state income — fell a bit in fiscal 2012, the latest data available for the analysis. That's largely because overall incomes rose, thanks to an improving job market and ongoing economic recovery.
Some 35 states saw a year-over-year decline in tax burdens, while eight had an increase and seven saw no change. In particular, Connecticut and Illinois saw big gains while California saw a drop.
So, which state has the heaviest tax burden and which one has the lightest? Click ahead to find out.
— Reporting by John W. Schoen; slideshow by Josh Weiss, special to CNBC.com.
Posted 08 Feb. 2016