Surprise! U.S. taxpayers have been subsidizing U.S. corporations for a l-o-n-g time

Tax Shell Game: The Taxpayer Cost of Offshore Corporate Havens

For Minnesotans it's $2,975,173,496 annually, or a about $560 per person per year. Hey, Mr. Governor No-New-Taxes: Wouldn't you like to have that money back?

USPIRG

Many of the largest corporations in our country hide profits made in the United States in offshore shell companies and sham headquarters in order to avoid paying billions in federal taxes. The result is massive losses in revenue for the U.S. Treasury – which ultimately must be made up by taxpayers.

The debt of a few is transferred to many – and to future generations. The U.S. Senate confirmed in the recently-passed fiscal year 2010 budget resolution that the use of offshore tax havens by large corporations “means that honest taxpayers face a higher burden.”

(More here. The chart of how much offshore tax havens cost each state is here.)