Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend, the town of Vernon and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
The fastest-growing states
By Mary Lazich
Wednesday, Jan 7 2009, 12:58 PM
After the 2010 census is completed, states in the Midwest and Northeast are expected to lose seats in Congress, with states in the South and West picking up more seats. That’s according to the Associated Press (AP) that reported on projections by two firms that analyze apportionment.
Here are the fastest growing states with the largest numerical population gain from July 1, 2007 to July 1, 2008:
1) Texas (483,542)
2) California (379,132)
3) North Carolina (180,820)
4) Georgia (162,447)
5) Arizona (146,759)
6) Florida (128,814)
7) Washington (99,713)
8) Colorado (96,686)
9) Illinois (75,754)
10) South Carolina (74,886)
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and AP
The lead sentence in the AP story says, “Southern and western states are poised to snatch more congressional seats from the rest of the country as Americans pursue open spaces and warmer climates.” More space and the weather are the only two factors the AP cites for the exodus south and west (There is an error in the AP story. It lists Utah as having a 2.5 percent increase in population from July 2007 to July 2008. The correct percentage increase for Utah is 22.5).
Could there be another factor in play causing movement to these particular states, like taxes? Here are the ten fastest growing states with their ranking among the states based on their burden of state and local taxes according to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation in Washington D.C. with #1 being the highest state-local tax burden in the nation:
1) Texas (43)
2) California (6)
3) North Carolina (20)
4) Georgia (16)
5) Arizona (41)
6) Florida (47)
7) Washington (35)
8) Colorado (34)
9) Illinois (30)
10) South Carolina (37)
Source: Tax Foundation
Is thIs a coincidence? I don’t think so. Weather a factor in Washington state, Colorado, and Illinois? Again, I don’t think so.
By comparison, Wisconsin ranks #9 in state-local tax burden.
