Blue State Residents Say Their States’ Finances Are Worsening

Blue State voters say their finances are suffering – and they want you to pay for it.

According to the latest from Rasmussen Reports:

Only 26% of all Likely U.S. Voters say their state is in better financial shape than it was five years ago. Forty-five percent (45%) say their state is in worse financial shape. Twenty-five percent (25%) report that the finances of their home state are about the same.

Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters living in a Blue state say their state’s finances have gotten worse, compared to 40% of those living in Red states. Thirty-three percent (33%) of Red state voters say their state is in better financial shape, a view shared by just 20% of those living in Blue states.

In late 2017, 40% of voters in both Red and Blue states said their states’ finances had gotten worse over the previous five years. Thirty-four percent (34%) of those in Red states said things were better financially, compared to 22% of voters in Blue states.

Forty-seven percent (47%) of all voters now believe the federal government should provide bailout funding for states with serious financial problems. Thirty-seven percent (37%) disagree, with 16% undecided.

But while 65% of Democrats favor taxpayer bailouts for financially troubled states, just 33% of Republicans and 42% of voters not affiliated with either major party agree.

And the perception of these Blue State voters is correct. If you want to live in a state that has its fiscal house in order, a Red State is your best bet.

While most states are in hot water, the problem is worst in states with a Democrat governor alongside a Democrat controlled legislature. A new study from Truth in Accounting analyzed the fiscal health of the fifty states and  and the trend was clear. The more Republican control, the better (and less-worse) fiscal health those states are in.

The worst run states and their unfunded liabilities per citizen, according to their “2019 Financial State of the States,” are:

1. Vermont, -$19,000
2. New York, -$20,500
3. California, -$21,800
4. Kentucky, -$25,700
5. Delaware, -$27,100
6. Hawaii, -$31,200
7. Massachusetts, -$31,200
8. Connecticut, -$51,800
9. Illinois, -$52,600
10. New Jersey, -$65,100

Kentucky is the only state on the list with a Republican controlled legislature (and still had a Republican governor during the time-frame of this study). Every single other state has a Democrat controlled legislature. The only hints of Red is Massachusetts’ and Vermont’s Republican governors.

The best states actually had a surplus per citizen. They are:

1. Alaska, $74,200 per taxpayer
2. North Dakota, $30,700
3. Wyoming, $20,800
4. Utah, $5,300
5. Idaho, $2,900
6. Tennessee, $2,800
7. South Dakota, $2,800
8. Nebraska, $2,000
9. Oregon, $1,600
10. Iowa, $700

Alaska is an outlier due to oil wealth combined with a low population, and has a split legislature with a Republican governor.

Every single other state with the exception of Oregon has a Republican governor and legislature. Nebraska is technically an exception in that they’re the only state with a unicameral legislature – but that is Republican controlled.

The next nine states on the list have relatively low levels of unfunded liabilities under $2,500 per citizen, and are majority Republican controlled (with Virginia as the only exception).

This all being said, the majority of states are still being mismanaged. Fortunately, there are ten other states they can model themselves after.