Washington sent us $13.5 billion in 2006
Federal spending rises to $10,495 per capita and funds programs, salaries and purchases
Hawaii got back almost double the amount of taxes its people and businesses paid to the federal government, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau, which estimates the federal government spent $13.5 billion here in 2006, or $10,495 for every man, woman and child in the state.
In contrast, Hawaii's people and businesses paid $7.1 billion in federal personal and corporate income taxes, or about $5,540 per capita, in 2006, according to Internal Revenue Service statistics.
The federal government is the second-largest source of money coming into our economy, behind tourism, said Eugene Tian, research and statistics officer in the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
Federal spending accounts for 13.5 percent of the state's economy, Tian said.
The majority of federal dollars came here from the Defense Department -- about $5.4 billion, or $4,184.53 per person.
A lot of the federal spending -- $3.7 billion -- was in the form of salaries and wages. Hawaii ranks second in the nation in per capita spending on federal payroll.
But the state has also received increases in social spending such as welfare, Medicaid and Medicare payments, Tian said.
In addition, Hawaii is also seeing an increase in spending on Social Security and retirement and disability payments -- $3.5 billion. Tian said that might be a reflection of Hawaii's population, which is older than most other states'.
The federal government also purchased $2.1 billion in goods and services here.
The statistics also reflect $1.3 billion in federal money given to state and county governments in Hawaii for welfare, housing and other programs.
Spending increased 6.2 percent from 2005, when the federal government spent $12.7 billion, or $9,973 per person.
Hawaii was sixth in the nation in per capita spending in 2005. But in 2006, reflecting spending after Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana and Mississippi received more federal dollars than any other states.