Rethugs again rate Vt as 2nd poorest state.
Never mind that the unemployment rate is 3.3 %. Never mind that Vermont is ranked in the top 3 for education and health. Never mind the facts.
Vermont once again finished 49th on "2016 Rich States, Poor States" national ranking. New York was 50th. Vermont and New York consistently have competed for the bottom two spots over the years. Utah earned the top spot for states with the best economic outlook, followed by North Carolina, North Dakota and Wyoming, according to the newest edition of the ranking recently released by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
The report also revealed many states significantly improved or fell in the rankings. Tennessee was the biggest winner in the rankings this year, climbing 10 spots to seventh place. Florida gained seven spots in the rankings, while New Hampshire and Oklahoma improved by six spots. New Hampshire (23) was the only Northeast state in the top half of the ranking. On the other hand, Georgia was the biggest loser this year, dropping 12 spots in the rankings to 19th place. Alaska fell by 11 spots, while Idaho and Kansas lost nine spots.
The lead author of the now ninth edition (2007-2015 data) of the ranking is Reagan-era economist Arthur Laffer. The report, despite its title, is not a snapshot of current economic performance, but of future expectations, based mainly on state tax policy. Most of the wealthiest states (based on median household income) are lower down on the "Rich States" ranking and have been since its inception. Vermont, for instance, has a higher relative household median income now than it had at the beginning of the ranking, despite being what "Rich States" would suggest is a "poor" one
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http://www.vermontbiz.com/news/may/vermont-again-49th-rich-states-poor-states-ranking
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