(The Center Square) – Improvement in all three dimensions measured have made Michigan a top 10 regular in the Cato Institute’s Freedom in the 50 States index.
The sixth edition, out this month, again places Michigan at No. 7, far from the No. 30 spot it held in 2005.
“Michigan used to be a below-average state on freedom, but since 2010 it has seen substantial and broad-based improvement across all three dimensions of the index and now looks to be secure in a top-10 position,” the report said.
New Hampshire edged Florida for No. 1 in the rankings. New York was No. 50.
Cato’s fiscal policy recommendations in the report say, “Cut spending on higher education, employment and security administration, health, and sewerage, which is much higher than average. Use the proceeds to reduce income and property taxes.”
Regulatory recommendations are, “Allow full nurse practitioner independent practice and prescription authority, and join the Nurse Licensure Compact.” And recommendations for personal freedoms are, “Enact a liberal tax-credit scholarship or education savings account program for private education.”
Michigan’s tax burdens have changed over the past decade-plus, the report says.
“Michigan’s local tax burden is low,” Cato said, “probably because of school finance centralization accomplished by ballot initiative in the 1990s. The state tax burden has historically been higher than the national average, but it fell substantially after 2010 and now stands at 6.4% of adjusted personal income.”
The report says land-use and energy freedom is “above average” and the state has “little zoning restriction.”
Michigan scores poorly on education.
The report notes, “Educational freedom is among the lowest in the country. Although homeschools are scarcely regulated, private schools face many barriers. There are no private school choice programs.”
