Hawaii’s Per-Capita Spending Ranks in Top 5
Hawaii state government spent $10.5 billion in fiscal 2009, ranking it No. 38 in the nation for total expenditures. But if you break that down into per-capita spending, Hawaii ranked in the top five among the 50 states.
And this year’s proposed budget is even bigger: $11.4 billion for fiscal 2012.
The National Conference of State Legislatures shared a detailed report with Civil Beat, which ranks states’ per-capita spending on everything from public education and welfare costs to debt interest and highway expenditures. While the information isn’t the most up-to-date — it’s based on 2008 U.S. Census Bureau data — it’s still relevant and useful.
Hawaii’s mounting budget woes were also highlighted in a report by the Pew Center on the States which looked specifically at underfunded pension and retiree health benefits. The said of Hawaii: “Relative to the size of its payroll and population, it has one of the greatest burdens — $10.8 billion — of any state in the country.”
Here’s a look at where Hawaii ranked in some of the categories for the NCSL report. The full report is below.
Total State Expenditures
Top five for total expenditures: California, New York, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Top five for total per-capita spending: Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont, Hawaii and Delaware.
Total expenditures in Hawaii — $10.5 billion (Ranked No. 38)
Hawaii per-capita spending — $8,133 (Ranked No. 4)
State Interest on General Debt
Top five for total expenditures: California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois and New Jersey.
Top five for total per-capita spending: Massachusetts, Alaska, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Hawaii.
Total expenditures in Hawaii — $441 million (Ranked No. 28)
Hawaii per-capita spending — $341 (Ranked No. 5)
Public Welfare Expenditures
Top five for total expenditures: California, New York, Texas, Pennsylvania and Florida.
Top five for total per-capita spending: New York, Rhode Island, Alaska, Vermont and Massachusetts.
Total expenditures in Hawaii — $1.56 billion (Ranked No. 42)
Hawaii per-capita spending — $1,208 (Ranked No. 28)
State Health Expenditures
Top five for total expenditures: California, New York, Florida, Ohio and Illinois.
Top five for total per-capita spending: Hawaii, Wyoming, Delaware, Alaska and New York.
Total expenditures in Hawaii — $677.7 million (Ranked No. 25)
Hawaii per-capita spending — $523 (Ranked No. 1)
State Government Administration
Top five for total expenditures: California, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Top five for total per-capita spending: Alaska, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana and Wyoming.
Total expenditures in Hawaii — $486.7 million (Ranked No. 35)
Hawaii per-capita spending — $376 (Ranked No. 3)
State Parks and Recreation Expenditures
Top five for total expenditures: New York, New Jersey, California, Louisiana and North Carolina.
Top five for total per-capita spending: Louisiana, Wyoming, Delaware, Hawaii and New Jersey.
Total expenditures in Hawaii — $78.9 million (Ranked No. 26)
Hawaii per-capita spending — $61 (Ranked No. 4)
