Red States Top Blue States For Low Taxes And Best Economies

In a clear example that shows conservative economic policies work the best, a new “Rich States, Poor States” document shows that Republican-controlled states are doing far better than those dominated by Democrats.

In its 15th annual report, timed around Tax Day, the American Legislative Exchange Council reports that eight of the 10 best states are Republican-controlled, while all of those in the bottom 10 are Democrat-controlled, the worst being New York.

Their report also shows that people are well aware of the benefits of living in low-tax states, so are moving to them and away from high-tax states.

According to Jonathan Williams, ALEC’s chief economist and executive vice president of policy, “Americans continue to vote with their feet toward states that have lower tax burdens and value economic competitiveness.”

Reagan-era economic adviser Arthur Laffer, a co-author of the report said, “If you believe incentives matter, and I do, state policies have the effect of changing those incentives at both the state and local levels and those changes in incentives have consequences. This ranking of states is a tried-and-true formula. I think it is a great way of picking winners and giving guidance on how states should be effectively governed.”

“This is a magic moment for tax reform at the state level,” said economist Steve Moore, a co-author. “I think even in some of these blue states that have been traditionally very liberal, they’re looking at reforms that could make their states more prosperous. I think the direction is good, and I think a lot of that direction is a result of the Rich State, Poor State rankings,” Moore added.

Two summary pages are provided below the title page. Click To Enlarge!

To download a PDF of the complete report, CLICK HERE.