Episode 53: "Why Some States Get Rich, While Others are Going Broke"

There are right ways for states to manage their economies - and some very wrong ones. So if you wanted to make your state more prosperous, wouldn't it be helpful to have the tools to determine how it will perform years into the future? They exist. Developed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), "Rich States, Poor States" is an annual economic forecast for all 50 states based on their ranking in 15 policy variables, each one directly influenced by state lawmakers through the laws they pass. What the survey shows is that at the state policy level a lot can be accomplished, both good and bad. Jonathan Williams, Chief Economist of the American Legislature Exchange Council and Seth Grove, chairman of two committees in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, explain how on a recent Bill Walton Show. Bad economic policies drove nearly 800,000 people out of California last year which means that after the 2020 census it may lose a congressional seat for the first time in its history. On the flip side, Utah has been No.1 in the "Rich States, Poor States" rankings for 12 years because of its flat tax, a truth-in-taxation law and transitioning pensions to a defined-contribution model. Want to make your state prosperous? Learn about how on our show and urge your state legislature to take ALEC's 15 tried-and-true steps on tax policy, labor laws and regulation.