[crazytimes]

I think I figured out why DC is so high - national capital duh! Why didn't I think of that before! That money probably goes to fund all the monuments, museums, etc.

Anyways, you also have to remember that there are state and local taxes! When we lived in Chicago there were high property taxes, high sales tax, 18% rental car tax, I think a 14% hotel room, etc. These cities and states bring in WAY MORE in local and state tax money than smaller states.

Smaller communities simply CANNOT afford to have these high of taxes because it would really people away. Also, small communities often don't even have hotels or rentals companies, so they can't even start to tax them.

People move to Chicago and pay the high taxes, because they know that they (usually) wont have a hard time getting a job and the rate of pay is usually higher than in rural areas. And Chicago can afford such high tourism taxes, because THEY KNOW that people ARE GOING TO COME, no matter what the taxes are.

No one is going to move to the middle of the country and pay exorbitant tax rates, when they only have a choice of 3 jobs!

And like Chipppers said, there are things like national parks. I know right off the bat South Dakota has the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, etc.

Something like this IS interesting but I would like to see a breakdown of the spending.