States Ranked by Financial Condition

[Mavric]

In new research for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Senior Research Fellow Eileen Norcross ranks each US state’s financial health based on short- and long-term debt and other key fiscal obligations, including unfunded pensions and health care benefits. The study, which builds on previous Mercatus research about state fiscal conditions, provides information from the states’ audited financial reports in an easily accessible format, presenting an accurate snapshot of each state’s fiscal health.

With new spending commitments for Medicaid and growing long-term obligations for pensions and health care benefits, states must be ever vigilant to consider both the short- and long-term consequences of policy decisions. Understanding how each state is performing in regard to a vari­ety of fiscal indicators can help state policymakers as they make these decisions.

 

Link

 

[Street Novelist]

I can't believe California didn't finish last. I didn't realize Illinois and New York were in worst shape than us.

[BigRedBuster]

Illinois is a disaster due to so many of their politicians ending up in prison.

[Street Novelist]

And how about Florida being near the top? For some reason I figured they would be in the middle.

[NUance]

Illinois is a disaster due to so many of their politicians ending up in prison.

 

And it's still going on. Our neighbors three houses down the street held a fund raiser for Aaron Schock last year. I shook Schock's hand, talked to him for a couple of minutes, and cut him a check for $50. Earlier this year, only a couple months after he was elected, he was exposed as a crook. He had to step down when it came to light that he was cheating the gov't. I feel like that POS should refund my $50. What is it with Illinois and crooked politicians? LINK

[Scratchtown]

 

 

Illinois is a disaster due to so many of their politicians ending up in prison.

And it's still going on. Our neighbors three houses down the street held a fund raiser for Aaron Schock last year. I shook Schock's hand, talked to him for a couple of minutes, and cut him a check for $50. Earlier this year, only a couple months after he was elected, he was exposed as a crook. He had to step down when it came to light that he was cheating the gov't. I feel like that POS should refund my $50. What is it with Illinois and crooked politicians? LINK

Thanks Obama.

[darkhorse85]

And how about Florida being near the top? For some reason I figured they would be in the middle.

 

I would have thought the same thing but all the tourism and all those retirees probably help out quite a bit.

[BigRedBuster]

I'm perfectly happy where Nebraska is on that graphic.

[zoogs]

Does this depend to some extent on how much each state depends on the federal government? Effectively, some states are subsidizing others -- but that's how it works in our Union, and we're happy to not bat an eye towards this (in contrast to the EU and Greece...)

 

Nebraska's in good shape in both maps, but some of the lowest-rated states for fiscal solvency are also some of the top subsidizers. And some of the states in "good" shape here are some of the top beneficiaries -- for example, Alabama ranks 13th best here, and they are the 47th least dependent on the federal government.

[huKSer]

This study must be flawed. Kansas is not in the bottom 10.

Is this state economy or state government?

[BigRedBuster]

Does this depend to some extent on how much each state depends on the federal government? Effectively, some states are subsidizing others -- but that's how it works in our Union, and we're happy to not bat an eye towards this (in contrast to the EU and Greece...)

 

Nebraska's in good shape in both maps, but some of the lowest-rated states for fiscal solvency are also some of the top subsidizers. And some of the states in "good" shape here are some of the top beneficiaries -- for example, Alabama ranks 13th best here, and they are the 47th least dependent on the federal government.

 

States like Alaska, the Dakotas and Wyoming have strong petroleum industries that bring in a lot of money to the state along with having relatively low populations. We are in the shape we are because of our balanced budget amendment song with mostly a conservative outlook on life that Nebraskan's have. Florida (like someone else said) is probably that way because of tourism.

 

Some of the bad ones are that way because of bad politics like California, Illinois, New York...etc.

[ZRod]

I'm perfectly happy where Nebraska is on that graphic.

 

It always helps when you can't legal run a deficit.

[BigRedBuster]

 

I'm perfectly happy where Nebraska is on that graphic.

It always helps when you can't legal run a deficit.

 

And....I love that.

[JJ Husker]

Does this depend to some extent on how much each state depends on the federal government? Effectively, some states are subsidizing others -- but that's how it works in our Union, and we're happy to not bat an eye towards this (in contrast to the EU and Greece...)Nebraska's in good shape in both maps, but some of the lowest-rated states for fiscal solvency are also some of the top subsidizers. And some of the states in "good" shape here are some of the top beneficiaries -- for example, Alabama ranks 13th best here, and they are the 47th least dependent on the federal government.

You lost me. Please explain how these rankings and state fiscal health is related to states subsidizing other states or depending on the federal government. You may be on to something but I saw nothing of the sort in the linked article and I have no idea how some of these poor performing states could be subsidizing better performing states.

 

What I see in these rankings and graphics is that liberal progressive fiscal policy is a failure and conservative policy is much better economically. And large energy reserves in low populated states is also extremely helpful. Now explain how California has sound fiscal policies that subsidize other states.

[Mavric]

Does this depend to some extent on how much each state depends on the federal government? Effectively, some states are subsidizing others -- but that's how it works in our Union, and we're happy to not bat an eye towards this (in contrast to the EU and Greece...)

 

Nebraska's in good shape in both maps, but some of the lowest-rated states for fiscal solvency are also some of the top subsidizers. And some of the states in "good" shape here are some of the top beneficiaries -- for example, Alabama ranks 13th best here, and they are the 47th least dependent on the federal government.

 

I'm sure there is some relation there but the correlation doesn't seem to be very strong. The 10 Least Dependent states range for 4-50 on the Financial Condition rankings. The 10 Most Dependent states range from 3-45.