In the USA, I am sure California is massively subsidising the rest, especially e.g. Utah.
I kind of object to paying for 3 or 4 layers of government, they don't even do this in the USA.
States in the US do not greatly subsidise each other, and there is indeed no layering of government. States have independent, unmixed state budgets collected from their own economy. They delegate limited powers upward to the Federal government, but do not send money upwards. The Feds meanwhile collect their taxes independently and in principle do stuff applicable to interstate and foreign affairs. The Federal 'foreign affairs' role is why foreigners often see the US as having a single, unified government... which internally it does not.
That explained, I can assure you that Utah government is a great deal more financially sound than that of California or the Feds! Decadence does not breed financial solvency, regardless of economic scale.
http://monetarilyspeaking.com/wp-con...by-wells-f.jpg
If I were in Scotland I would be attracted to independence for only one reason - the possibility to leave the EU.