Government Wages and Benefits Are Half of State and Local Spending

The Cato Institute takes a closer look at the generous wages and benefits offered by state and local governments.

by Kristina Rasmussen

During the midst of Illinois’s troubled 2009 budget season, we suggested that all areas of government spending should be carefully reviewed for potential savings — including generous public employee compensation packages.

The Cato Institute recently released a study that echoes this sentiment:

State and local governments face large budget deficits as revenues have stagnated and spending has remained at high levels. To reduce deficits, large savings can be found in the generous compensation packages of the nation

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Illinois Cato Institute