Rich state, poor state. The ratings are in.

[WVPATX]

The American Legislative Exchange Council released their “Rich States, Poor States” report last week and shocker—mostly Democratic-run states are a disaster concerning economic performance and competitiveness. ALEC included the top and bottom ten states in the press release announcing the 10th edition of the report. NTK Network broke down who controls what in the respective state legislatures of these low performing states as well.

#41: Oregon (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)
#42: Maine (Dems split control of the legislature with Republicans)

#43: Hawaii (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

#44: Illinois (Dems control the legislature)

#45: Minnesota (Dems control the governor’s office)

#46: Connecticut (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

#47: California (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

#48: New Jersey (Dems control the legislature)

#49: Vermont (Dems control the legislature)

#50: New York (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

You can peruse all the data on income tax, property tax burdens, sales taxes, death taxes, the minimum wage, how many public employees there are per 10,000 in state population, whether it’s a right to work state, and much more. You can also compare states within these criteria as well.

 

[WVUCOOPER]

The American Legislative Exchange Council released their “Rich States, Poor States” report last week and shocker—mostly Democratic-run states are a disaster concerning economic performance and competitiveness. ALEC included the top and bottom ten states in the press release announcing the 10th edition of the report. NTK Network broke down who controls what in the respective state legislatures of these low performing states as well.

#41: Oregon (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)
#42: Maine (Dems split control of the legislature with Republicans)

#43: Hawaii (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

#44: Illinois (Dems control the legislature)

#45: Minnesota (Dems control the governor’s office)

#46: Connecticut (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

#47: California (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

#48: New Jersey (Dems control the legislature)

#49: Vermont (Dems control the legislature)

#50: New York (Dems control the legislature and governor’s office)

You can peruse all the data on income tax, property tax burdens, sales taxes, death taxes, the minimum wage, how many public employees there are per 10,000 in state population, whether it’s a right to work state, and much more. You can also compare states within these criteria as well.

Seems legit.

 

[JMichael]

This is a crooked organization put together to fool people such as listed above.

ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.

More than 98% of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift bans. For more, see CMD's special report on ALEC funding and spending here.

 

[WVPATX]

This is a crooked organization put together to fool people such as listed above.

ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.

More than 98% of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift bans. For more, see CMD's special report on ALEC funding and spending here.

It is not a "crooked" organization. It is funded by businesses. What is wrong with that? Businesses want environments where they can grow, create jobs and wealth for the stockholders. Dispute their data if you can. But your argument that they are "crooked" because business funds them is ridiculous.

 

[Airport]

This is a crooked organization put together to fool people such as listed above.

ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.

More than 98% of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift bans. For more, see CMD's special report on ALEC funding and spending here.

if you look at those states, NY,Calif, and Illinois, all three have an enormous debt problem. I'm not usre how ALEC is a crooked entity, it's a group of corporations thta have joined together to get better laws for them to operate under. The AMA does the same thingas does the ADA, dental, assoc. Their are Unions that do the same. Money is free speech, I guess you missed that.

 

[WVUCOOPER]

if you look at those states, NY,Calif, and Illinois, all three have an enormous debt problem. I'm not usre how ALEC is a crooked entity, it's a group of corporations thta have joined together to get better laws for them to operate under. The AMA does the same thingas does the ADA, dental, assoc. Their are Unions that do the same. Money is free speech, I guess you missed that.

The thought that WV has a better 2017 economic outlook than California, NY, NJ, etc by any reasonable measure is laughable.

 

[Airport]

The thought that WV has a better 2017 economic outlook than California, NY, NJ, etc by any reasonable measure is laughable.

I would imagine that if you are in the bottom half, nothing is good. California's debt is going to bankrupt them. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if in the next 5 years, all three come looking for a federal bailout. If I had to guess, those rankings are more a list of where it is good to do business vs a place where the taxes are onerous.

 

[WVUCOOPER]

I would imagine that if you are in the bottom half, nothing is good. California's debt is going to bankrupt them. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if in the next 5 years, all three come looking for a federal bailout. If I had to guess, those rankings are more a list of where it is good to do business vs a place where the taxes are onerous.

Those states are still better than WV by any reasonable measure.

 

[WVPATX]

The thought that WV has a better 2017 economic outlook than California, NY, NJ, etc by any reasonable measure is laughable.

I'm not sure what the debt situation is in WV, both funded and unfunded. I suspect that WV taxes are much lower than these states as would be the cost of living. I think you have to look at their study to determine what factors they considered.

Clearly, Cal, NY and NJ have huge advantages in terms of location, infrastructure, business diversity and population. But that was likely not one of the factors considered. I think the study looked at primarily at financial factors and business friendliness.

 

[Airport]

Those states are still better than WV by any reasonable measure.

I would agree on that.

 

[mneilmont]

I would agree on that.

Take your choice. Fleeing one state because of lack of jobs and income. Then the other fleeing is to get away from cost of living. Difficult choice on which way you choose to starve to death. Welfare living can last longer in which state that is fighting for tax revenue? One state getting more residents requiring assistance who have never paid taxes. The other is suffering loss of residents who provided funding that is being lost.

 

[eerdoc]

This is a crooked organization put together to fool people such as listed above.

ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.

More than 98% of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift bans. For more, see CMD's special report on ALEC funding and spending here.

And your point is...?

 

[Mntneer]

Those states are still better than WV by any reasonable measure.

They are, but WV does have a good outlook, depending on the scale and size of what we deem "good".

 

[Mntneer]

I'm not sure what the debt situation is in WV, both funded and unfunded. I suspect that WV taxes are much lower than these states as would be the cost of living. I think you have to look at their study to determine what factors they considered.

Clearly, Cal, NY and NJ have huge advantages in terms of location, infrastructure, business diversity and population. But that was likely not one of the factors considered. I think the study looked at primarily at financial factors and business friendliness.

The devil is in the detail. HOW did they develop this list, this ranking. That'll determine the validity of it.

 

[WVPATX]

The devil is in the detail. HOW did they develop this list, this ranking. That'll determine the validity of it.

The details are linked to in my original post.