Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Best and Worst Run States

According to this list, the best run states are (in order) North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah, and Iowa.  The worst run states are (worst first) California, Rhode Island, Illinois, Arizona, New Jersey.

> Debt per capita: $4,008 (18th highest)
> Budget deficit: 20.7% (17th largest)
> Unemployment: 11.7% (2nd highest)
> Median household income: $57,287 (10th highest)
> Pct. below poverty line: 16.6% (18th highest)

California is 24/7 Wall St.’s “Worst Run State” for the second year in a row. Due to high levels of debt, the state’s S&P credit rating is the worst of all states, while its Moody’s credit rating is the second-worst. Much of California’s fiscal woes involve the economic downturn. Home prices plunged by 33.6% between 2006 and 2011, worse than all states except for three. The state’s foreclosure rate and unemployment rate were the third- and second-highest in the country, respectively. But efforts to get finances on track are moving forward. State voters passed a ballot initiative to raise sales taxes as well as income taxes for people who make at least $250,000 a year. While median income is the 10th-highest in the country, the state also has one of the highest tax burdens on income. According to the Tax Foundation, the state also has the third-worst business tax climate in the country.
Huh, California is listed as the worst run.  Who's surprised?  Not me.

4 comments:

neko said...

The solution to this is clear: Californians need to push for other states (far worse states) to be added to the Union!

Instead of being 50/50, they will be 50/55. Problem solved, the liberal way.

Anonymous said...

Oh, but since Democrats now completely control the state, things will get better! Right???

Dempsey Darrow said...

Arizona is on the list because we're still digging out from the spend, spend, spend policies of ex-governor and now Homeland Security head Janet Napolitano.

Hube said...

Amazingly, my state of Delaware is #11, and we're solidly blue. I think our size makes management more ... well, manageable.