Greedy States – Moral States

 

ALEC's finger prints continue to be all over Wisconsin's Republican Bills. Walker and his team continue to carry water for ALEC and will do so no matter how much it harms the citizens of Wisconsin. All of the economic legislation in this and the past Republican controlled legislature are implementing the goals outlined in ALEC's Rich State Poor State annual document. We can review the ALEC Economic Competitiveness Index to see the tune our Republicans are marching to. This index is based upon 15 variables, as follows;

 

      1. The highest marginal personal tax rate. There is no concern for the tax rates at the bottom or in the middle, only at the top. This is because the few at the top have successfully purchased our politicians.

      2. The highest marginal corporate tax rate. Again, this is what the corporations have purchased and use ALEC to deliver.

      3. Personal Income tax progressivity. This is the difference between the average tax liability per $1,000 at $50,000 and at $150,000. These rich folks who have purchased our Republican state legislators don't want their effective tax rate to be any more than the poor and middle class. They have no problem with their effective payroll tax being less than those making $50,000.

      4. Property Tax Burden. Taxes again! The “Free Market” ALEC folks don't want to support the general public good that contributes to the quality of life.

      5. Sales Tax Burden. Still Taxes! roads, bridges, fire protection, schools, universities, social services, zoos, museums are unnecessary burdens to corporate profits.

      6. Remaining tax burden. Just in case something has been left off. Although I expect that the tax for Miller Park is OK for rich folks as long as someone else pays it.

      7. Estate or Inheritance Tax (yes or no). This is another top 1% issue. These self serving plutocrats use this as another variable in their economic competitiveness index.

      8. Recently legislated tax changes. Surprise! If you have recently reduced taxes, your ranking improves.

      9. Debt service. This is a comparison of debt service to State GDP. Another financial indicator that is meaningless unless the reason for the borrowing is known and understood (schools, etc.)

      10. Public Employees per 100,000. According to ALEC if your state has fewer teachers, firefighters, police officers, university professors, conservation wardens, health and safety inspectors, it is better for your economic competitiveness.

      11. Quality of State legal system. This is based upon the US Chamber of Commerce's (the business's union) State Liability Ranking. In other words, if the state is good for consumers it is bad for business.

      12. State minimum wage. This speaks for itself.

      13. Workers compensation costs. If the workers get any additional benefits such as health care or a pension this is bad for the economic competitiveness. Although it is good for quality of life.

      14. Right to Work State (yes or no). Quality of live again.

      15. Tax or Expenditure limit. This is based upon CATO institute data and is the reason for the super majority legislation for new taxes passed in the last legislative secession.

 

 

The result is that the Rich State – Poor State Document is really a Greedy State – Moral State document. In order to illustrate this we will compare The Forbes Quality of Life Ranking for the top ten ALEC “Rich States – Poor States” to the Quality of Life Ranking of the bottom ten ALEC “Rich States – Poor States.”

 

ALEC Greediest Free Market States and their Quality of Life Ranking

 

 

ALEC Rank State Quality of Life

 

1 Utah 15

 

2 North Dakota 19

 

3 South Dakota 23

 

4 Wyoming 27

 

5 Virginia 04

 

6 Arizona 40

 

7 Idaho 26

 

8 Georgia 37

 

9 Florida 36

 

10 Mississippi 47

 

 

Average Quality of Life ranking of the ten greediest ALEC States – 27.4

 

 

Now, we will examine the Quality of Life Ranking of the ALEC Least Greedy States.

 

 

ALEC Rank State Quality of Life

 

41 Maine 17

 

42 Montana 31

 

43 Connecticut 03

 

44 Oregon 35

 

45 Rhode Island 18

 

46 Minnesota 05

 

47 California 25

 

48 Illinois 20

 

49 New York 11

 

50 Vermont 14

 

 

Average Quality of Life Ranking of the ten least greedy ALEC States – 17.9

 

 

There is a 9.5 difference between the Mean Quality of Life Ranking of the most greedy and least greedy ALEC States.

 

 

Wisconsin has been ranked as 10th in the Forbes Quality of Life Index precisely because of the quality education, the health care, the care of the environment. All of these will be diminished as a result of Walker's pandering to ALEC. The Republicans are more interested in sacrificing our quality of life for improvement on the ALEC “Greedy State – Moral State” ranking.