The fluctuations of the nation’s general economic situation have not greatly troubled the revenue ledgers of state and local governments. In the year between 2010 and 2011, state and local governments brought in nearly $3.4 trillion in revenue — that’s an annual increase of 8.4 percent. In terms of expenditures, spending at the state and local levels increased 1.5 percent, to $3.2 trillion. Education and public welfare together comprised almost 43 percent of that total, and education alone accounted for over a quarter of all such spending. The outstanding debt of state and local governments amounted to $2.9 trillion in 2011. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.