We get what we pay for

Submitted by James on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 9:34am

Chris Fitzsimon does a regular feature at NC Policy Watch ... a weekly column called Monday Numbers. They're sometimes hard to follow, but if you make the effort, always interesting. Yesterday's analysis looks at different performance measures in states with relatively high taxes compared to states with relatively low taxes. The results are compelling.

For example, states with higher taxes, on average, have 74.1% of their students graduating from high school. For those with lower taxes, the graduation rate averages 66%.

The same pattern is present in poverty statistics, health insurance, violent crime, and household income growth.

What's the bottom line? States that put a premium on reducing taxes at any cost basically suck. It's a wonder we're not worse off than we are here in North Carolina.

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Amen corner

Submitted by usernamehere on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 9:47am.

If you follow the link James provides to my post, then hit the magazine article...

Site Selection magazine's second sentence:

It may have something to do with its infrastructure of higher learning.

Check out the subheading under the title of the Site Selection article while you're at it.

It IS about education.

 

We also get we what we vote for

Submitted by James on Tue, 11/03/2009 - 2:13pm.

... at least the precious few who bother to go to the polls. From our old friend Kirk Ross.

http://www.exileonjonesstreet.com/2009/11/01/what-we-do-know-about-the-l...