Photo by Jason Samfield

Unless you live in the runoff state of Louisiana, the 2014 congressional elections are in the rearview mirror . Come January, there will be some changes in Washington, DC.

Here at NPP, we’ll continue our pursuit of a transparent, accessible federal budget that meets the needs of all Americans.  We deserve lawmakers who craft a thoughtful budget that reflects our priorities. We deserve to know how and where our tax dollars are being spent.

But we can’t do it without you. We’re all responsible for making sure Congress—no matter who’s in office—hears our priorities. And if you think decisions made in DC don’t affect you, consider this:

• About 44% of Louisiana's state revenue comes from the federal government.
• Federal jobs account for almost 10% of compensation earned in New Mexico.
• In the last 5 years, direct federal aid to Coloradans rose by 24% per person.

This list goes on and on:  every state in the nation is deeply intertwined with the federal government and its budget, and National Priorities Project created State Smart to tell those stories. We hope you’ll unearth these relationships in your state and join us as we continue our work into the 114^th Congress and beyond.