How free is YOUR state?

[Nitrogen]

The study is here:
http://www.mercatus.org/PublicationDetails.aspx?id=26154

The PDF with the details is here:
http://www.mercatus.org/uploadedFiles/Mercatus/Publications/Freedom%20in%20the%2050%20States.pdf

I mostly have to agree with what I read here.  In 2005, I moved from California (Overall freedom index of -0.413) to Texas, the largest, most economic diverse state at the top of the list. (Overall freedom index of 0.346)  NH is at the top with 0.432.
When people ask me why I moved to a state where I might disagree with a good bit of the political views of its residents, I have yet something else I can point to that tries to explain it.

I've put the overall freedom ranking below so you don't have to read the report just to see it, but the report ranks all sorts of freedoms.

I'm curious what the rest of you think, that live in other high and low scoring states?

Code: [Select]

Table V: Overall Freedom Ranking
State Overall Free dom
1. New Hampshire 0.432
2. Colorado 0.421
3. South Dakota 0.392
4. Idaho 0.356
5. Texas 0.346
6. Missouri 0.320
7. Tennessee 0.284
8. Arizona 0.279
9. Virginia 0.275
10. North Dakota 0.268
11. Utah 0.250
12. Kansas 0.210
13. Indiana 0.208
14. Michigan 0.206
15. Wyoming 0.193
16. Iowa 0.183
17. Georgia 0.146
18. Oklahoma 0.143
19. Montana 0.125
20. Pennsylvania 0.102
21. Alabama 0.092
22. Florida 0.068
23. North Carolina 0.019
24. Nevada 0.013
25. Mississippi -0.004
26. Delaware -0.008
27. Oregon -0.009
28. Nebraska -0.018
29. Arkansas -0.023
30. South Carolina -0.040
31. Alaska -0.071
32. Kentucky -0.082
33. West Virginia -0.097
34. Louisiana -0.110
35. Minnesota -0.111
36. New Mexico -0.150
37. Wisconsin -0.199
38. Ohio -0.205
39. Maine -0.214
40. Vermont -0.217
41. Connecticut -0.225
42. Illinois -0.238
43. Massachusetts -0.242
44. Washington -0.275
45. Hawaii -0.304
46. Maryland -0.405
47. California -0.413
48. Rhode Island -0.430
49. New Jersey -0.457
50. New York -0.784

[Manedwolf]

For now. We're being invaded by massholes who, having escaped high-tax nanny state socialism for a "better quality of life", then go and vote for high-tax nanny state socialist candidates as soon as they arrive here.

Escape a burning house, move into a new one, go "ooo, matches!". That's a masshole transplant.
We just lost the capable Sununu for Shaheen "the tax machine" due to them.

I know this happens to states surrounding CA, too. It's like locusts invading after destroying the fields they started in. They move on and destroy another, and then move on, and...

[Balog]

I'm surprised how far down Wy and Mt are. Under Michigan?!?!

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Ah, Colorado is number 2!  I'll be there in less than four years.

[El Tejon]

Wyoming is 14.  *snicker*

Wonder what big, green book boy has to say?

[Nitrogen]

For now. We're being invaded by massholes who, having escaped high-tax nanny state socialism for a "better quality of life", then go and vote for high-tax nanny state socialist candidates as soon as they arrive here.

Escape a burning house, move into a new one, go "ooo, matches!". That's a masshole transplant.
We just lost the capable Sununu for Shaheen "the tax machine" due to them.

I know this happens to states surrounding CA, too. It's like locusts invading after destroying the fields they started in. They move on and destroy another, and then move on, and...

If people want $$$ government services, by all means vote for them.  My big problem is with the reluctance to pay for them in a sane manner.
Also, some of the way revenue was raised really torqued me off.  For instance, to fund more light rail and other mass transit projects (that I could not econimically use) they raised BRIDGE TOLLS instead of raising the cost of taking mass transit.  When I moved to CA, Bridge tolls were $1 a day (only one direction was toll-ed).  When I left, it was $2, quickly on its way to $4.  If those tolls went to bridge improvements, I'd probably have grudgingly approved.

Living in Texas, my property taxes nearly replace what I'd have paid in income taxes in California, but this is the thing:  I have roads that aren't pothole farms here!  When the roads start to get crusty, THEY ACTUALLY GET FIXED!

The state of Texas also does an amazing thing:  They try and project growth and build roads in ADVANCE OF PROJECTED GROWTH instead of waiting 20-30 years when the proposed roads would already be over capacity!

Sure, I'd rather pay as little taxes as possible; but if what taxes I do pay are put to good use, I'm OK with it.

If I'm paying 50% of my income in taxes, and the average quality of life and income go up 400%, i'd probably live with it.
Unfortunately, it never works that way.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I'm not sure how paying more income taxes is supposed to improve your quality of living.

[Manedwolf]

I'm not sure how paying more income taxes is supposed to improve your quality of living.

It doesn't. As I pointed to, NH and MA.

"Increased services" is code word for "more welfare".

[Balog]

Higher taxes vastly improves the quality of life.... For the leeches on welfare. Kinda sucks for the producers being taxed tho.

[Nitrogen]

I'm not sure how paying more income taxes is supposed to improve your quality of living.

It doesn't.  If it DID, I might be more amenable to it; thats the point I was trying to make.

[Perd Hapley]

WOOT!  MO is #6.  Not too shabby. 

[Balog]

Can't follow the link atm, do they explain their methodology, especially in regards to weighting? Some of the scores seem a bit odd to me.

[Nitrogen]

Can't follow the link atm, do they explain their methodology, especially in regards to weighting? Some of the scores seem a bit odd to me.

Yes they do, in decent detail in the attached PDF.

[Ryan in Maine]

Maine's Rankings
Fiscal Policy #38 with -0.23
Regulatory Policy #50 with -0.18
Economic Freedom #39 with -0.406
Personal Freedom #2 with .193
Overall Freedom #39 with -0.214

Maine's State Profile
Maine comes in second worst on economic freedom
and second best on personal freedom, summing
to #39 overall. Its rural character has preserved its
relatively free firearms regime, but it also has the second
highest overall taxes in the country, after New
York. Property taxes are highest in the country, and
sales and individual income taxes are also high. The
first offense of low-level marijuana possession carries
only a fine, and low-level cultivation is a misdemeanor.
The state also has medical marijuana exceptions,
and the maximum sentence for a single marijuana
offense is 10 years. Several kinds of gaming (but
not casinos) are permitted. Educational policies are
about average; the state could improve substantially
here by ending standardized testing requirements for
homeschoolers and requiring parental notification
only once (or never) rather than annually. Maine has
a good asset forfeiture regime and allows same-sex
domestic partnerships. Cigarette taxes are high, and
smoking bans are airtight everywhere except workplaces.
The minimum wage is astonishingly high for a
low-wage state. The state has adopted strict community
rating for health insurance and has also legislated
many mandates (a bad combination, since price controls
and heavy regulations are likely to drive profit
margins close to zero and thus drive private insurers
out of state). Occupational licensing is worst in the
country (tied with Arkansas). The state does boast
a good liability system, but it could stand to reform
eminent domain further. Maine and Arizona are the
only two states with public financing available for all
elections, funded out of general revenues.

They have an odd system, but it makes odd sense.

[MicroBalrog]

That rating is done by Jason Sorens. Could this not affect its ratings of NH as compared to other states?

[HankB]

The state of Texas also does an amazing thing:  They try and project growth and build roads in ADVANCE OF PROJECTED GROWTH instead of waiting 20-30 years when the proposed roads would already be over capacity!

In the Austin area, the socialist greenies in the Austin City Clowncil for years refused to build roads, or go after state money, on the theory that "If we DON'T build it, they WON'T come."

A few years back they actually proposed tearing up some roads, and make what's essentially a four-lane highway into a two-lane country road. (I personally suspect some hanky-panky with the proposed appropriation process.)

They were wrong about growth and traffic - VERY wrong.

So . . .we have bad traffic problems, they're getting worse, and the only "solutions" (aided and abetted by our GOP governor) are . . . toll roads and light rail. Very, VERY, EXPENSIVE light rail. 

Oh, and around 25% of the state tax on gasoline is pirated for other uses unrelated to transportation. 

We're a lot better off than Kalifornia or Taxachusettes . . . but we ain't perfect by any means. And we've got Kalifornians coming in . . . and they're starting to vote for democRATS! 

[Balog]

That rating is done by Jason Sorens. Could this not affect its ratings of NH as compared to other states?

What basis do you have for accusations of unfairness? Their methodology seems fairly consistent and rigorous.

[MicroBalrog]

What basis do you have for accusations of unfairness? Their methodology seems fairly consistent and rigorous.

I made no accusations of anything. I merely point out that Sorens has an interest in persuading people that NH is the freest state since Jason Sorens is the founder of the Free State Project.

[MechAg94]

It doesn't.  If it DID, I might be more amenable to it; thats the point I was trying to make.

That is a point that is sometimes hard to explain when I hear someone think it is okay to raise taxes.  It is almost a natural law of government:  The more money they get, the more inefficiently they use it.  If the Govt won the lottery, it would likely end up as one of those tragic lottery stories. 

Around Houston at least, they are starting to get greedy with toll roads.  They are trying to build toy trains also.  At least they are and have been improving the normal freeways though.  

[Angel Eyes]

California is not the worst?  Wow.

I wonder if they took into account the recent/current budget mess, making CA the most heavily taxed state in the U.S.

[Balog]

I made no accusations of anything. I merely point out that Sorens has an interest in persuading people that NH is the freest state since Jason Sorens is the founder of the Free State Project.

Unless you can point out a flaw in the methodology I fail to see how the man's personal beliefs or interests matter.

[geronimotwo]

California is not the worst?  Wow.

I wonder if they took into account the recent/current budget mess, making CA the most heavily taxed state in the U.S.

aaaah, i would be moving up in freedom if i moved to ca. ny is worse than i thought.

[Balog]

aaaah, i would be moving up in freedom if i moved to ca. ny is worse than i thought.

That's a sad statement right there.

[Manedwolf]

I made no accusations of anything. I merely point out that Sorens has an interest in persuading people that NH is the freest state since Jason Sorens is the founder of the Free State Project.

Ah, yes, the group whose antics have directly led to crackdowns and MORE laws where there were none, because there was nothing of concern that there needed to be a law about before the Free Staters started being stupid about doing it.

They really need to go somewhere else. Wyoming, perhaps. But in the middle of nowhere!

[Balog]

Ok, looked over the data. A good overall view, but for my purposes home-schooling laws are far more important than alcohol and marijuana laws. Eminent domain and asset forfeiture could also be ranked higher imho.