Hawaii gets ‘F’ grade in analysis of states’ fiscal health

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Hawaii ranked No. 45 in a study of the state’s ability to pay all of its bills, including public employers’ pension benefits, according to a new ranking of the states’ fiscal health by Truth in Accounting (TIA).

Hawaii was found to have less than what’s required to pay its bills, according to the analysis by TIA, which is a Chicago-based nonprofit that reports on fiscal data from state and local governments.

The amount of the state’s shortfall of funds to pay off its bills amounts to $31,600 per taxpayer, the study found.

The TIA gave the state a financial grade of “F.”

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State Rankings on Fiscal Health

RankStateMoney Needed / Available to Pay Bills (in billions)Per-Taxpayer Debt / SurplusFinancial Grade
1Alaska$16.3$56,500A
2North Dakota$7.1$24,900A
3Wyoming$4.0$19,600A
4Utah$3.9$4,400B
5South Dakota$0.9$3,100B
6Idaho$1.3$2,700B
7Tennessee$5.0$2,500B
8Nebraska$1.2$1,800B
9Oregon$1.4$1,000B
10Iowa$0.5$500B
11Florida-$11.6-$1,800C
12Virginia-$5.4-$1,900C
13Indiana-$5.7-$2,700C
14Montana-$1.1-$3,300C
14Oklahoma-$3.2-$2,900C
16Nevada-$3.1-$3,300C
17Arkansas-$2.9-$3,600C
18Wisconsin-$8.0-$3,900C
19Georgia-$11.1-$3,900C
20Missouri-$7.9-$4,100C
21Arizona-$8.8-$4,500C
22Minnesota-$9.7-$4,700C
23New Hampshire-$2.9-$5,400D
24Maine-$3.5-$7,500D
24Ohio-$30.7-$7,700D
25Kansas-$7.0-$7,600D
27North Carolina-$24.3-$8,100D
28Washington-$23.0-$8,700D
29New Mexico-$5.1-$9,000D
30West Virginia-$4.9-$9,500D
31Colorado-$19.3-$9,800D
32Texas-$82.2-$10,100D
33Mississippi-$8.3-$11,300D
34Alabama -$15.2-$11,800D
35Rhode Island-$5.5-$14,500D
36Louisiana-$19.7-$15,500D
37Maryland-$34.6-$16,000D
38Michigan-$53.0-$16,600D
39South Carolina-$26.2-$18,100D
40Pennsylvania-$82.1-$18,800D
41Vermont-$4.7-$20,100F
42New York-$143.0-$21,500F
43California-$269.9-$22,000F
44Delaware-$10.0-$30,400F
45Hawaii-$15.6-$31,600F
46Massachusetts-$86.9-$33,500F
47Kentucky-$50.3-$39,200F
48Illinois-$216.1-$50,800F
49Connecticut-$69.8-$53,400F
50New Jersey-$195.5-$61,400F
Source: Truth in Accounting

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