New York Times defends the deductions for state taxes.

The deduction is Washington’s way of supporting states that support their most vulnerable citizens and neediest cities. The seven states that account for 90 percent of state and local tax deductions (including sales and property taxes) — New York, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois and Massachusetts — generally do a better job of providing for the health and welfare of their citizens, and are more willing to pay for institutions that are good for society as a whole...

Texas is proud not to have an income tax, but it also has by far the highest percentage of uninsured people in the country.

“By far?” If you check out the link they give--and they're counting on most of their readers not doing so--Texas is number one at 25 percent uninsured.

The massively-taxed state of California, on their list of "good" states, is tied with three other states at number four, with 20 percent uninsured.