Here's the full story, from the 24/7 Wall St. website:
And here's the Utah data and rating in a nutshell, for those who'd just like to cut to the chase:
The fact that Utah is technically tied with states like Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama, who all share D+ ratings, will provide at least some consolation to cash-strapped Utahns, we suppose... at least in the sense that misery loves company, right?1. UtahNo state offers its residents fewer benefits than Utah. The state is among the nation’s worst at providing public support programs. A worker going on unemployment insurance in May 2012 was eligible for 60 weeks of benefits, much less than most other states. Worse, just 40% of unemployed workers were even on this program, among the lowest in the nation. Utah was also rated among the nation’s worst states at providing policies that encouraged residents to build their savings and assets. The state is among the worst at providing consumer protections against payday lending. Utah’s limits for TANF, SNAP and Medicaid eligibility were all considered to be stringent by WOW.
> Economic security grade: D+
> Median household income: $55,869 (14th highest)
> Gov’t spending per capita, 2011: $5,922 (20th lowest)
> Tax collections per capita, FY 2011: $1,958 (13th lowest)
So can we see by a show of hands, folks, how many of you are surprised by these results?
2 comments:
Rudi Rudi Rudi.... this clearly left-leaning Bolshevek study has taken you in. They included all families in the study, not just the right families. If they'd looked only at the right families we'd have come out much higher.
Good question, AWM. I spotlighted this study because it struck me as a perfect counterpoint to those typical Forbes Magazine-type "puff pieces" which we link every now and again as they roll out several times per year, touting Utah as, say, "#1 for business friendliness in the US." Among the primary bases for these ratings of course are the facts that Utah-situated businesses enjoy fairly low government overhead (taxes & regulation) and that Utah's work force has a reputation for working at relative "slave wages." This latter aspect is course what the cited study addressed. Yes. From the viewpoint of the workforce, there's a downside to Utah's "business-friendly" reputation. Hoping that answers your question.
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