Washington, DC  -  While Alabama workers have one of the lowest total burdens of taxation and regulation in the nation, according to a report released today last year they still worked nearly half the year just to pay the total cost of government spending and regulation at the federal, state, and local levels, Congressman Mike Rogers said today.

“It is shocking to believe that in 2003 Alabama workers spent almost half the year just to pay the cost of government and regulation,” Rogers said. “Even with the historic tax relief Congress passed last year, working families are still forced to labor under excessive bureaucracy and regulation.”

According to the report released today by the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), July 7, 2004 is Cost of Government Day, the date of the calendar year on which the average American worker has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of spending and regulatory burdens imposed by all levels of government, federal, state and local. In 2004, ATR estimated American workers toiled 189 days to pay this burden.

The report also cited state-by-state figures for 2003 which ranked Alabama behind Alaska in total days worked to pay these costs, at 176 days.

“Contrary to the liberal naysayers, Americans do not need higher taxes or more regulation. Government does not create prosperity; American workers do. We must resist the tax-and-spend policies of big-government proponents, and ensure Alabama families keep as much of their hard-earned paycheck as possible.”

Rogers said the ATR report estimates that in 2004 Americans worked 86 days to pay for federal spending, 42.9 days to pay for state spending, 36.7 days to pay for local spending, and 22.9 days to pay for state regulations.