[Jonty30]

All a government has to do is give the people freedom to use their money as they see fit and they would be on top again.

[Buckeye McFrog]

No state is really in sound fiscal shape. At least not as you’d define that in private business or for your family.

Makes no difference. We all learned in 2008 that if you go to Congress with a sufficiently butt-puckering Chicken Little tale of impending doom you WILL get a bailout.

[relictele]

You mean the state (ie all of them) that hires far too many bureaucrats, pays them entirely too much and keeps them on salary and benefits until a ripe old age?

[Red Badger]

...the top five most fiscally solvent states, from one to five, are Nebraska, South Dakota, Tennessee, Florida and Oklahoma.

FLORIDA! #4!...................

[NonValueAdded]

And if the polls are correct and Florida elects a socialist governor, the fall will be spectacular.

[pepsi_junkie]

My state, NJ, is doomed. It's broke and my fellow citizens foolishly elected a tax and spend liberal as governor. But not just any taxing, massive taxing. Well, you might say, he needs to pay down the debt load. Nope, using the money for freebies.

We're doomed. I've told my wife that when the people with money start to flee, they will put a tax on home sales so that if you do try to get out you will lose all the value in your home. Wait for it. She think I'm probably right but she still won't move.

[Pontiac]

With the exception of Oklahoma the top five are states without an income tax.

I don’t think it’s a coincidence

[rktman]

Of course we’re not. Saw someplace in the past couple of days that UNR medical center is offering minor care to poor folks and people who “don’t have any ID” or “SS number”. Surely they aren’t using tax dollars to treat “undocs” are they? Grrrrrr! Anyone got and ICE hat and windbreaker I could borrow? You know, just to stand outside. I anyone were to ask just tell them I’m just a good samaratin there ‘I’n ‘C’ase of ‘E’mergency.

[dhs12345]

Who cares. Someone else is responsible, not me. BTW, the rich don’t pay their fair share. /sarc

[Captain Peter Blood]

Here in Arkansas we are probably in much better shape than most. The state cannot by law issue any Debt except under very narrow circumstances and then only if it passes a popular vote. In addition by Law we have to have a balanced budget no matter what. If Tax revenues come in less than anticipated every state Department must automatically reduce their expenditures to stay in budget.

Now of other states and the federal government had to do what our state does we would have a lot less problems.

[Alas Babylon!]

Link to survey:

https://www.mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings

[Nifster]

The fact that California is not in the bottom five says a bunch about their r methodology