--------------------------------------------------------------------------------	
                               README for	
     U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE--ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS ADMINISTRATION	
                 U.S. CENSUS BUREAU - GOVERNMENTS DIVISION	
	
           Database on Historical State Tax Collections:
                         "STC_Historical_DB"	
                       Fiscal Years 1951 - 2015
                              September 2016
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This ZIP file contains the U.S. Census Bureau's data base providing 
historical statistics on State Tax Collections.  

It spans state government fiscal years between 1951 and 2015 (plus limited data 
for even years between 1942 and 1950 and National totals going back to 1902) 
and covers the finance topics of state tax collections.

The U.S. Census Bureau sponsors and conducts this census of state 
governments as authorized by Title 13, United States Code, Section 161 and 182.

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**** IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT ****
================================================================================

The Census Bureau implemented significant changes to its classification system
for statistics on state government finances effective with FY 2005 data. Some 
of these changes will be obvious (e.g., new variables, no more data for existing
ones, large increases due to expanded coverage of variable). Others, however, 
will not be as apparent.

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UNIVERSE DESCRIPTION	
====================
	
The data cover the 50 state governments only. No local government data are 
included and should not be interpreted as state-area data (state government 
plus local government tax collections combined.)

The state government tax data presented by the U.S. Census Bureau may differ 
from data published by state governments because the Census Bureau may be 
using a different definition of which organizations are covered under the 
term, state government.

For the purpose of State Government Tax Collections statistics, the term 
state government refers not only to the executive, legislative, and judicial 
branches of a given state, but it also includes agencies, institutions, 
commissions, and public authorities that operate separately or somewhat 
autonomously from the central state government but where the state government 
maintains administrative or fiscal control over their activities as defined 
by the Census Bureau.

For further information on the definition and organization of governments, 
see Chapter 1 of the Government Finance and Employment Classification Manual 
and the 2007 Census of Governments.	

 
==========================	
SUBJECT MATTER DESCRIPTION	
==========================	
	
This data base contains statistics on up to 25 State Tax items. 

These tax data are in thousands of dollars.

Statistics on the State Government Tax Collections Survey include 
measurement of tax by category: Property Tax, Sales and Gross Receipts 
Taxes, License Taxes, Income Taxes, and Other Taxes. Each tax category 
is broken down into sub-categories (e.g., motor fuel sales, alcoholic 
beverage sales, motor vehicle licenses, alcoholic beverage licenses, 
and so on). There are currently 25 different tax codes that state tax 
revenue may fall into.	

The tax statistics are in terms of current dollar amounts as originally 
reported. They have not been adjusted for price and wage changes occurring 
through the years.

The statistics reflect state government fiscal years that end on June 30, 
except for four states with other ending dates: 

Alabama and Michigan (September 30), New York (March 31), and Texas (August 31).
	 
- For detailed descriptions and definitions of terms used in this series,
refer to our classification manual which can be accessed on-line here:	
	
                www.census.gov/govs/classification/

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YEARS COVERED	
=============	

This data base covers fiscal years 1942, 1944, 1946, 1948, and 1950 (limited 
detail) and 1951 to 2015.  National totals only are also shown for selected 
years between 1902 and 1940.
	
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OTHER DATA USER NOTES	
=====================	

- This data base is a file of the U.S. Census Bureau. It is an archive
of the data items published in the report series, "State Government Finances," 
since 1951. Limited data are also shown for even years between 1942 and 1950.
These data are based on the periodic censuses of governments and annual surveys
of government finances.

- The data are based on information from public records and contain no 
confidential data.

- Additional information on nonsampling error, response rates, and definitions 
may be found at http://www2.census.gov/govs/statetax/2015stcmethodology.pdf

- Numbers like "-11111" are flags meaning that the data
item was not published in year cited.

- Data users who create their own estimates using these data should cite the
Census Bureau as the source of the original data only.

- Suggested citation: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government
Tax Collections (years)

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State Finance and Tax Statistics Branch	
EWD Division	
US Census Bureau	
U.S. Department of Commerce	
Washington, D.C.  20233-6800	
866-820-7210	
	
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