You may have sent in your state and federal income tax forms for last year, but you'll still be working for another two weeks this year before you start working for yourself.

The Tax Foundation has announced that this year's Tax Freedom Day (tm) is April 30. According to the Foundation, "That means Americans will work four months of the year, from January 1 to April 30, before they have earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels."

At least one member of Congress would like to move tax filing day to election day. Says Budget and Tax News, "Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) has sponsored a bill, H.R. 77 (H.R. 442 in the 109th Congress), to move the deadline for filing federal income tax returns from April 15 to the first Monday in November--the day before Election Day. He proposes the move as a way to strengthen the link between the politicians we elect and the taxes we pay."

A number of organizations within State Policy Network have analyzed state budgets, including the Empire Center (New York), the Yankee Institute (Connecticut), the Flint Hills for Public Policy (Kansas, link is in PDF), and the Goldwater Institute (Arizona). Use the SPN directory to find a comparable organization in your state.