Common Sense For New Hampshire

The distinctions our over-achievers in Trenton have garnered for New Jersey in recent years includes, but is certainly not limited to, being named the  least free state , having the worst business climate of any state and, not surprisingly, levying the highest overall taxes of any state.  Not the types to rest on their laurels, our elected officials have won for the people a new superlative.  We have been officially named the worst fiscal train-wreck of the fifty states.  Only our state could simultaneously achieve the dual supremacies of having the highest taxes and the worst finances in the country.  We really are special.

From Rare.us :

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University has just released its latest report on the fiscal condition of the states. A quick glance at the rankings reveals that liberal governors are financially tanking their states just like our liberal president is financially tanking the country. And almost all of the states with the best fiscal health are led by Republicans.

Of the top 10 states in the best fiscal condition (fiscal year 2012), nine were run by Republicans, and 18 of the top 20 states were run by Republicans.

By contrast, of the 10 states with the worst financial condition, eight were led by Democrats. Are you detecting a pattern here?

Interestingly, the state with the worst financial condition in the country, according to Mercatus, is led by a Republican, the man the media have been trying (at least until the recent scandal) to pre-anoint as the most electable Republican presidential nominee for 2016: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

In fairness to Christie, New Jersey has an overwhelmingly Democratic (and overwhelmingly nut-job) legislature. And that burden may keep him from being as fiscally prudent as he might otherwise have been……

Here is the graphic from the study:

Note that 4 of the 6 most financially sound state governments, Alaska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Florida, don’t even have state income taxes!