Should California and Minnesota stop paying federal taxes?

ClemsonInAtlanta · Tuesday at 2:54 PM

California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

SB_SB · Tuesday at 3:07 PM

If I were one of those states, I'd withhold any amount that the Federal government was withholding and include a processing fee.

BrianNole777 · Tuesday at 3:22 PM

Finance85 · Tuesday at 3:40 PM

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

Please provide data, with sources, that support your claim. What federal taxes are paid, by category. from the state? What disbursements, by category, is paid to each state?

How do you account for people's mobility? If someone worked their entire life in NY, then retired to Florida, how does that affect your statistics?

BelemNole · Tuesday at 3:43 PM

It's ironic that the group that complains so much about taxation being theft and those freeloaders on the bottom of the tax bracket need to contribute are the ones whose states take more than they give.

WDDT · Tuesday at 3:44 PM

They should stop paying taxes and as part of it no longer be eligible for the lottery and lets check what happens to their budgets in a decade.... lulz.

o_wausauhawk · Tuesday at 8:26 PM

Finance85 said:
Please provide data, with sources, that support your claim. What federal taxes are paid, by category. from the state? What disbursements, by category, is paid to each state?

How do you account for people's mobility? If someone worked their entire life in NY, then retired to Florida, how does that affect your statistics?

Do you think Trump should be holding payments up for any reason, let alone one born of political pettiness?

Wobmam Rulez! · Tuesday at 9:44 PM

Like everything with this pathetic cosplay administration, Minny and Cali will get paid and the cosplay characters will continue to look dumb.

BrainVision · Tuesday at 9:53 PM

At this point, I trust that California can weather the Trump administration’s petty nonsense, and we will be able to repair any damage caused after the rest of the country comes to its senses.

LafayetteBear · Tuesday at 10:23 PM

BrainVision said:
At this point, I trust that California can weather the Trump administration’s petty nonsense, and we will be able to repair any damage caused after the rest of the country comes to its senses.

THIS ^^^^.

DailyBuck7 · Tuesday at 10:35 PM

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

I would be very happy if California would secede from the country and join up with Mexico. Maybe have some sort of agreement for a national sea port in Calif. I would note that California with its high taxes and war on the wealthy could very easily end up being a net beneficiary of funds from the United States.

aCEOuProbablyKnow · Tuesday at 11:12 PM

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

Do you know what Califags pay in gas tax?

Of course you don't, retard.

LafayetteBear · Tuesday at 11:53 PM

DailyBuck7 said:
I would be very happy if California would secede from the country and join up with Mexico. Maybe have some sort of agreement for a national sea port in Calif. I would note that California with its high taxes and war on the wealthy could very easily end up being a net beneficiary of funds from the United States.

Dear Bowling Green graduate: Your continued expressions of hatred for all things California are duly noted. Meanwhile, have you seen the tee shirt pictured below? It is quite popular among Penn State fans:

aCEOuProbablyKnow · 2026-07-22T00:22:47-0500

LafayetteBear said:
Dear Bowling Green graduate: Your continue expressions of hatred for all things California are duly noted. Meanwhile, have you seen the tee shirt pictured below? It is quite popular among Penn State fans:

Boalt logic.

DailyBuck7 · 2026-07-22T01:00:02-0500

LafayetteBear said:
Dear Bowling Green graduate: Your continue expressions of hatred for all things California are duly noted. Meanwhile, have you seen the tee shirt pictured below? It is quite popular among Penn State fans:

Funny for a Univ of Calif graduate to put down Bowling Green. In any event, here is what Palmer Luckey the inventor of Oculus and the CEO of the most sophisticated drone company in the world (Anduril) had to say about Ohio while planning to build a $5 billion factory just south of Columbus -- from ChatGPT ""Ohio was the only option." ..... He followed that by saying: "Ohio is the only state that moves at the speed this moment demands."....
"There are only a handful of places in the world where you have the workforce, the regulatory climate, the access to transit and transportation all come together." .... "I really couldn't ask for a better place to build a fighter jet factory."
One anecdote he shared is especially revealing. He said that when he met Ohio leaders: "Usually when I meet with legislators... I'm asking for help with something." But in Ohio:

"This time there was literally nothing to ask for." He explained that local leaders had already addressed the permitting, infrastructure, and logistical issues before he needed to raise them.

Also CNBC recently rated Ohio as the best state to do business in for 2026.

TigerGrowls · 2026-07-22T01:28:51-0500

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

California receives more money from the federal government than any other state.......period.

Yes, California consistently pays more in federal taxes than it receives in federal grants and funding, making it a "donor state". [1, 2]
In recent years, California has contributed roughly $80 billion to $275 billion more to the federal treasury than it receives in return, meaning its residents and businesses subsidize federal spending in other states. [1, 2, 3]
However, because California is the most populous and wealthiest state in the U.S., it also receives the largest total dollar amount of federal aid of any state. But when evaluated on a "per dollar paid vs. per dollar received" basis, California's massive tax contributions vastly outweigh the federal grants and expenditures flowing back into the state. [1, 2, 3, 4]

TigerGrowls · 2026-07-22T01:31:09-0500

The big story is how Cali is squandering its huge potential and resources currently. Getting worse very quickly.

ESMDHawk · 2026-07-22T01:59:00-0500

How about we make the federal government much smaller so EVERY state can spend most of the tax money paid in their own states.

o_wausauhawk · 2026-07-22T04:31:29-0500

DailyBuck7 said:
I would be very happy if California would secede from the country and join up with Mexico. Maybe have some sort of agreement for a national sea port in Calif. I would note that California with its high taxes and war on the wealthy could very easily end up being a net beneficiary of funds from the United States.

Titanhawk · 2026-07-22T08:26:59-0500

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

How is it that states pay federal taxes? What taxes are you talking about? Taxes that employers pay, other business pay? Taxes the states aren't involved with?

tarheelbybirth1 · 2026-07-22T08:51:27-0500

DailyBuck7 said:
I would be very happy if California would secede from the country and join up with Mexico. Maybe have some sort of agreement for a national sea port in Calif. I would note that California with its high taxes and war on the wealthy could very easily end up being a net beneficiary of funds from the United States.

lol… hey @Finance85 , you gonna ask this one for “receipts”?

Anon1750875978 · 2026-07-22T09:37:48-0500

I dislike the fact that Blue State taxes subsidize Red States.

If we continue this trend, reduce political influence.
Just have Red States get one US Senator.

Rifler · 2026-07-22T09:43:11-0500

The states of California and Minnesota don't pay federal taxes, their citizens do...

jimneffer · 2026-07-22T09:47:14-0500

Rifler said:
The states of California and Minnesota don't pay federal taxes, their citizens do...

this isn't wrong, but i think the most accurate version is "the employers do (on behalf their employees)"

maybe the state govt's and other affilated organizations that have 10s or 100s of thousands of employees could withhold payment (i'm certainly no expert here)

TigerRagRob · 2026-07-22T09:50:07-0500

1. States with the Highest State-Level Debt (2025–2026 data)

These are the states carrying the largest direct state debt burdens (general obligation bonds, etc.):

Rank	State	Total State Debt (approx.)
1	California	~$520 billion
2	New York	~$420 billion
3	Texas	~$320 billion
4	Illinois	~$280 billion
5	Pennsylvania	~$220 billion
6	Florida	~$190 billion
7	New Jersey	~$180 billion
8	Massachusetts	~$150 billion
9	Ohio	~$140 billion
10	Michigan	~$130 billion

2. States with Largest Unfunded Liabilities (Biggest Long-Term Drag)

These create future pressure on the federal budget (pensions, retiree healthcare):

California
Illinois
New York
Texas
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Michigan
Florida
Massachusetts

Bottom line: California is consistently #1 in both categories and has the single biggest indirect impact on national fiscal pressure.

Rifler · 2026-07-22T09:55:44-0500

jimneffer said:
this isn't wrong, but i think the most accurate version is "the employers do (on behalf their employees)"

maybe the state govt's and other affilated organizations that have 10s or 100s of thousands of employees could withhold payment (i'm certainly no expert here)

So, an employer withholds employee federal taxes from their payroll and then refuses to pass those dollars on to the IRS, leaving the individual taxpaying employees in default,.. The lawyers would love that class action suit.

jimneffer · 2026-07-22T09:59:22-0500

Rifler said:
So, an employer withholds employee federal taxes from their payroll and then refuses to pass those dollars on to the IRS, leaving the individual taxpaying employees in default,.. The lawyers would love that class action suit.

look...i'm just spitballing here. i'm generally with you that there's no real way to do this

but i will point out/ask about sovereign immunity. as far as i know, states are exempted from class action suits

again...fully admit - i'm well outside my area of even general knowledge here

Gibbs_dontbanmetom · 2026-07-22T10:01:05-0500

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
California pays $200-300 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government in payment. Much of this money is then redistributed to poorer states, most of which are red states in the southeast who are impoverished and uneducated.

Minnesota pays roughly $45 billion more in federal taxes than it receives from the federal government. Again, much of this money is redistributed to poorer red states who objectively leech off of the federal government.

However, our inadequate leadership (Trump) has deemed it necessary to withhold $1b in Medicaid payments to these states for no real reason other than emotional instability.

Since Minnesota and California have had their agreement with federal government violated by our leadership, should they be obligated to continue to pay?

Why should California and Minnesota continue to subsidize the poor red states? Should the red states not lift themselves up out of poverty through hard work? Why are hardworking Californians and Minnesotans sending their hard earned tax dollars to the lazy and poor states of South Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, etc.?

Thoughtful answers appreciated

If this is true, maybe they should be getting some of that money back to attempt to clean up some of the messes in each of these cities. How many shootings took place in Minneapolis this weekend?

Finance85 · 2026-07-22T10:11:27-0500

tarheelbybirth1 said:
lol… hey @Finance85 , you gonna ask this one for “receipts”?

Why would I?

GesterHawk · 2026-07-22T10:38:15-0500

DailyBuck7 said:
I would be very happy if California would secede from the country and join up with Mexico. Maybe have some sort of agreement for a national sea port in Calif. I would note that California with its high taxes and war on the wealthy could very easily end up being a net beneficiary of funds from the United States.

That Is Dumb Will Ferrell GIF by MOODMAN

GesterHawk · 2026-07-22T10:40:59-0500

TigerGrowls said:
But when evaluated on a "per dollar paid vs. per dollar received" basis, California's massive tax contributions vastly outweigh the federal grants and expenditures flowing back into the state. [1, 2, 3, 4]

GesterHawk · 2026-07-22T10:43:17-0500

Rifler said:
The states of California and Minnesota don't pay federal taxes, their citizens do...

tarheelbybirth1 · 2026-07-22T11:25:40-0500

Finance85 said:
Why would I?

No idea. Why did you previously?

scotchtiger · 2026-07-22T11:34:33-0500

Well, 76% of federal state subsidies are spent on Medicaid (65%) and income security (11%). Since poors vote heavily democrat - even in red states like SC - this would hurt democrat voters more than anyone else.

So sure, let’s go for it. Red states should just direct these folks to move to CA or MN or other blue states if they want federal assistance.

lucas80 · 2026-07-22T15:19:23-0500

Rifler said:
So, an employer withholds employee federal taxes from their payroll and then refuses to pass those dollars on to the IRS, leaving the individual taxpaying employees in default,.. The lawyers would love that class action suit.

Kind of like Trump refusing to extend dollars authorized by Congress to blue states

lucas80 · 2026-07-22T15:20:56-0500

o_wausauhawk said:
Do you think Trump should be holding payments up for any reason, let alone one born of political pettiness?

@Finance85

ClemsonInAtlanta · 2026-07-22T15:21:04-0500

TigerGrowls said:
California receives more money from the federal government than any other state.......period.

Yes, California consistently pays more in federal taxes than it receives in federal grants and funding, making it a "donor state". [1, 2]
In recent years, California has contributed roughly $80 billion to $275 billion more to the federal treasury than it receives in return, meaning its residents and businesses subsidize federal spending in other states. [1, 2, 3]
However, because California is the most populous and wealthiest state in the U.S., it also receives the largest total dollar amount of federal aid of any state. But when evaluated on a "per dollar paid vs. per dollar received" basis, California's massive tax contributions vastly outweigh the federal grants and expenditures flowing back into the state. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Thank you for proving my point.

The question is should California demand a larger share of federal funds as it is weighed down by welfare states in the southeast?

How many lazy Americans in the southeast are living off of welfare being funded by the wealthy blue states of California and Minnesota?

California and Minnesota should demand an investigation into red states finances, there is probably a lot of fraud in those poor states

TigerGrowls · 2026-07-22T15:37:50-0500

ClemsonInAtlanta said:
Thank you for proving my point.

The question is should California demand a larger share of federal funds as it is weighed down by welfare states in the southeast?

How many lazy Americans in the southeast are living off of welfare being funded by the wealthy blue states of California and Minnesota?

California and Minnesota should demand an investigation into red states finances, there is probably a lot of fraud in those poor states

Very weak response. You have a fixation on a boogeyman that lives in your pee brain referred to as a lazy American in red states while at the same time totally ignoring millions of illegal immigrants living here and receiving maximum welfare and every other government handout they can find.

Let's cut all payments to illegals and then start putting any Americans on welfare in a good job.

ClemsonInAtlanta · 2026-07-22T15:44:34-0500

TigerGrowls said:
Very weak response. You have a fixation on a boogeyman that lives in your pee brain referred to as a lazy American in red states while at the same time totally ignoring millions of illegal immigrants living here and receiving maximum welfare and every other government handout they can find.

Let's cut all payments to illegals and then start putting any Americans on welfare in a good job.

Nice subject change. We are talking about lazy, entitled, leeching welfare red states living off of government handouts funded by hardworking citizens in blue states. If the president wants to withhold federal funding to blue states, why should they pay any money to the federal government?

Illegal immigrants don’t receive welfare by the way. You don’t need to post some made up tweet written by a Pakistani bot being paid to feed you misinformation in return.

The sooner you accept the fact that your entire understanding of how the world works is completely wrong the better off you and the rest of us who have to deal with you will be. I guarantee it

Should California and Minnesota stop paying federal taxes?

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1. States with the Highest State-Level Debt (2025–2026 data)​

2. States with Largest Unfunded Liabilities (Biggest Long-Term Drag)​

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1. States with the Highest State-Level Debt (2025–2026 data)

2. States with Largest Unfunded Liabilities (Biggest Long-Term Drag)