MichaelGowin.com/blog

The Cato Institute released its 2008 Fiscal Report Card on America’s Governors this week:

This ninth biennial fiscal report card examines the tax and spending decisions made by the governors since 2003. It uses statistical data to grade the governors on their taxing and spending records – governors who have cut taxes and spending the most receive the highest grades, while those who have increased taxes and spending the most receive the lowest grades.

In my home state of Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich received an “F,” with the second lowest score of on the list.  The report summarizes the governor’s efforts thusly:

Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has been singleminded in his drive for tax increases on businesses. In 2007, he pushed for a huge $7 billion tax hike in the form of a new business gross receipts tax and increased payroll taxes. That hike was the largest proposed or enacted increase of any governor in this report, measured in total dollars or as a percentage of current taxes. He has proposed schemes to wallop businesses nearly every year since 2003, including plans to raise taxes on refineries, gaming businesses, and software companies.  Blagojevich seems unaware that Illinois is competing against other states and nations for business investment in the global economy.

I hope you fared better than those of us in Illinois.  Unless you live in Maryland (which received the lowest overall grade), apparently you did.  Find your governor’s grade.

Filed under: Business by Michael