That's why the biggest "donor" states are invariably the ones with the highest state and local taxes.
“That’s why the biggest “donor” states are invariably the ones with the highest state and local taxes. “
Wyoming, Utah, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas are all net donor states too.
If your theory were correct they would not be on the list of 14 net donor states.
As to scale, the California donation could likely pay the entire state budgets of 3 of the 5 above.
CA and NY and many of the others are donors because they are very rich states with millions of high income workers.