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:

October 2018, Volume 36, Issue 19

State and Local Finances in FY 2016

The Census Bureau has released its state and local finance series for fiscal year 2016, which allows an apples-to-apples comparison of tax structures and burdens among the states. This issue highlights the new revenue data.

September 2018, Volume 36, Issue 18

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 third quarter of 2018, Utah claimed the top spot, while South Carolina equaled the national average economic performance.

September 2018, Volume 36, Issue 17

Defense Spending by State

For some states, federal defense spending is an important source of economic activity.

SALT in the Wound

Among the losers in federal tax reform were states where many taxpayers make use of the federal itemized deduction for state and local taxes paid (SALT).

August 2018, Volume 36, Issue 15-16

The Potential of Regional Price Parities

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has new estimates of differences in the cost of living among the states.

Financial Illiteracy

A Champlain College report grades states on their efforts to improve the financial literacy of high school graduates.

Opioid Deaths by Occupation in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a study analyzing opioid-related overdose deaths by occupation from 2011-2015.

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

June 2018, Volume 36, Issue 11

Are Opioids the New Tobacco?

May 2018, Volume 36, Issue 10

On Population Trends and Housing Costs

May 2018, Volume 36, Issue 9

States and the FY 2018 Federal Budget

April 2018, Volume 36, Issue 8

The 2018 Camelot Index

April 2018, Volume 36, Issue 7

Census, Census Everywhere