State Policy Reports

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Index of State Economic Momentum
March 2018, Volume 36, Issue 6

The Index of State Economic Momentum ranks states based on their most recent performance in three key measures of economic vitality: personal income growth, employment growth, and population growth. Reports updates the index each quarter. In the first quarter of 2018, Nevada reclaimed the top spot, while the District of Columbia most closely approximated the national average economic performance.

Annual indices are also available:

July 2018, Volume 36, Issue 14

About the Sales Tax

Despite its shortcomings, the sales tax is the largest contributor to state-local own-source revenue. Because of its shortcomings, that is likely to change.

July 2018, Volume 36, Issue 13

Count Your Children Well

The Annie E. Casey Foundation has released its annual assessment of how children fare in each state, known as KIDS COUNT. This year’s report differs from earlier years, devoting several pages to the importance of an accurate 2020 census count.

Medicaid Expansion: An Offer States Can’t Refuse?

About half the states adopted the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion in January 2014. Nine more have come on board since, and that number is likely to rise.

June 2018, Volume 18, Issue 12

Index of State Economic Momentum

The Index of State Economic Momentum, developed by Reports founding editor Hal Hovey, ranks states based on their most recent performance in three key measures of economic vitality: personal income growth, employment growth, and population growth. Reports updates the index each quarter. In the second quarter of 2018, Washington claimed the top spot, while New York most closely approximated the national average economic performance.

June 2018, Volume 36, Issue 11

Are Opioids the New Tobacco?

As the cost of the opioid epidemic continues to rise, states may have an incentive to follow the model of the Master Settlement Agreement with the tobacco industry.

Housing Unaffordability

A new report documents the gap between wages and the cost of rental housing.

State Exposure to Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

Which states will feel the most impact from tariffs on steel and aluminum?

May 2018, Volume 36, Issue 10

On Population Trends and Housing Costs

The Census Bureau’s recent release of population estimates for big cities led Stateline to proclaim, Quest for Affordable Housing Drives People Away from the Coasts. Has that happened in states, too?

States Are Helping First-Time Home Buyers

With homeownership reaching a 50-year low in 2016, and fewer first-time home buyers entering the market, legislation to help first-time home buyers save for down payments is gaining traction in several states.

May 2018, Volume 36, Issue 9

States and the FY 2018 Federal Budget

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 raised the spending caps for non-defense discretionary programs, many of which are grant programs that flow to state and local governments. With these higher caps in place, appropriators were able to complete action on FY 2018 spending bills, which were wrapped into the omnibus spending bill that passed in late March. The result was robust increases for many grants and many states.

April 2018, Volume 36, Issue 8

The 2018 Camelot Index

April 2018, Volume 36, Issue 7

Census, Census Everywhere

March 2018, Volume 36, Issue 6

Index of State Economic Momentum

March 2018, Volume 36, Issue 5

A Redistricting Tipping Point?

February 2018, Volume 36, Issue 4

Food Insecurity

February 2018, Volume 36, Issue 3

Five Not-So-Easy Pieces