Regional Winners and Losers in the Reagan Budget Cuts: Who Got What Where?

Abstract

In this paper, the spatial allocation of federal expenditure changes from the last year of the Carter Administration to the first year of the Reagan Administration (fiscal year 1981 to fiscal year 1982) is examined. Federal expenditures are divided into several categories and subcategories, and their allocations by state are mapped. Although some spatial patterns are evident in total federal expenditures and for some of the major categories of expenditure, there is often little agreement in the regional patterns of winning and losing states.