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Report: Florida Named the Second-Freest State in U.S.
The Tennessee Star ^ | 12/06/21 | Cole Lauterbach

Posted on 02/04/2022 6:57:15 AM PST by Enlightened1

Only a state with the motto “Live Free or Die” is freer than the Sunshine State.

That’s according to the nonprofit CATO Institute’s annual Freedom in the 50 States report, which compares states based on different aspects of autonomy and choice in key policy areas. The report uses hundreds of variables to gauge states on fiscal, regulatory and personal terms.

Overall, Florida came in second to New Hampshire in the 2021 ranking that used 2019 data to compare states.

The CATO Institute bills itself as a libertarian public policy think tank that promotes limited government, free markets and peace.

It highlighted the state’s lack of a personal income tax and warm weather as the pied-pipers of not just well-heeled retirees but also business professionals looking to make the most of their labor.

“Florida does especially well on economic freedom, and even more so on fiscal policy. Indeed, it is our top state on both,” the report said. “Regulatory policy is improved but mediocre compared with the fiscal side.”

Florida’s freedom metrics lagged due to heavy incarceration rates, onerous occupational licensing requirements, state-level health insurance mandates, and the cost of gun control laws on owners and dealers.

To make the state freer, CATO suggests Florida decentralize taxing and spending powers from counties to municipalities, reform its occupational licensing system to remove barriers of entry into careers, and enact criminal justice reforms.

While New Hampshire was this year’s freest state, nearby New York came in last.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: 50states; cato; fl; florida; freedom; index; nh; nhfirst; ny; woohoonh
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To: dangus

A lot that I have met came here from California. They are not conservatives. I’m sure a lot of others are good conservatives from other states but I haven’t met them.


81 posted on 02/04/2022 10:11:17 AM PST by Tennessee Conservative (My goal in life is to be the person my dogs think I am)
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To: Enlightened1

Here in PA their (Cato) synopsis is fairly accurate and I agree what and how they rated PA….#14!


82 posted on 02/04/2022 10:14:47 AM PST by mikelets456
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Comment #83 Removed by Moderator

To: dangus

Well, VDOT was a creation of the Byrd machine. Unexplained is how the state had the money to maintain roads when the counties did not...


84 posted on 02/04/2022 10:34:23 AM PST by brianl703
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To: The Great RJ

Your points are excellent.

Worse yet, the Twin Cities area has the Met Council, a completely un-elected body of pro-light rail transit, pro-urban planners who literally and figuratively think of new ways to ensnare local govts into their planning for the so-called “greater good”.


85 posted on 02/04/2022 10:37:12 AM PST by MplsSteve
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To: Andy'smom
NH has no income or sales tax, but the property taxes are very high.

No, I get it. It all depends on what you want and what your situation is. My wife and I are planning on leaving what has now become a leftist hell hole. If we decide to buy property that is not worth very much, the property taxes are not nearly as important. So, it opens up a lot more options. Joe Biden's home state of Delaware has a very low property tax rate. But the values are high for what you get so you end up back at square one. Texas has homes that are a good value, but the property tax rate is very high in most places.

The New Hampshire house and property I used for an example would not sell for as much in some other states and the property taxes are basically insane. The sales tax and income tax we would pay in most places wouldn't even come close to the property tax burden we would shoulder unless we chose a very modest house with almost no property.

https://smartasset.com/retirement/retirement-taxes

86 posted on 02/04/2022 10:41:41 AM PST by fireman15 (Irritating people are the grit from which we fashion our pearl. So, try to remember Ephesians 4:2.)
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To: TheDandyMan

NH in the laate 60’s and early 70’s was the epitome of freedom. Meldrim Thomson was the Govenor and Bill Loeb ran the states largest (conservative) news rag. Miss my old home state and it sucked watching it get over-run by invaders from Massachusetts.


87 posted on 02/04/2022 11:32:07 AM PST by ex91B10 (Just because you can doesn't mean you should. )
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To: Honest Nigerian

Florida sucks for lots of reasons.

Yep.

Avoid the area at all costs.

5.56mm


88 posted on 02/04/2022 11:33:39 AM PST by M Kehoe (Quid Pro Joe and the Ho need to go.)
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To: M Kehoe; Honest Nigerian; V_TWIN

I just moved down here, and I tend to agree. While I, as a conservative, can think of ways to overcome, any liberals who follow me down here are in for a wallop: hurricanes, lizards falling out of trees, twisters, waterspouts, cock-a-roaches that can sit and eat your dinner at the dining table, alligators, panthers, and, of course, #FloridaMan.

How anyone non-conservative can survive down here is beyond me. I guess that’s what Tampa and Orlando are for.


89 posted on 02/04/2022 12:10:04 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Florida: America's new free zone.)
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To: Tennessee Conservative

We should be higher. Incarceration rates hurt the ranking. Frankly, I think keeping criminals in jail is a good thing...


90 posted on 02/04/2022 12:34:28 PM PST by HeadOn (Love God. Lead your family. Be a man.)
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To: Enlightened1

Garbage poll. How is Wyoming number 24!!??


91 posted on 02/04/2022 12:36:49 PM PST by cowboyusa (America Cowboy up! )
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To: neverbluffer

Wyoming


92 posted on 02/04/2022 12:38:26 PM PST by cowboyusa (America Cowboy up! )
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To: M Kehoe

Several of my friends up here in Fairbanks are moving back to fla when the retire; no not the minus 50 up this way. They claim the ocean fishing is fantastic in Florida. That counts for something too.


93 posted on 02/04/2022 12:42:59 PM PST by Eska
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Thanks man, I forgot about the “palmetto bugs”. Lol!


94 posted on 02/04/2022 1:49:02 PM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave)
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To: Enlightened1

New Hampshire is always free....🇺🇸


95 posted on 02/04/2022 2:06:16 PM PST by Deplorable American1776 (I'm the ones trying to save American Democracy...Donald Trump 6/21 at the NCGOP convention! )
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To: fireman15

Yea, NH isn’t all that “free”. I don’t understand how they could beat out Florida.


96 posted on 02/04/2022 2:40:08 PM PST by Andy'smom (Proud member of the basket of deplorables)
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To: SkyDancer

“Like old folks driving ten mph under in the passing lanes.””

You’ll be old one day too,in spite of yourself.


97 posted on 02/05/2022 8:50:01 AM PST by flaglady47 (Donald J.Trump, President in 2024 - DeSantis for VP (or Senior Advisor)til)
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To: kabar

“Used to donate to CATO, but their approach to immigration and amnesty turned me off.”

CATO was considered to be Libertarian in approach. I find them phony baloney’s, and not honest brokers.


98 posted on 02/05/2022 8:55:26 AM PST by flaglady47 (Donald J.Trump, President in 2024 - DeSantis for VP (or Senior Advisor)til)
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To: flaglady47

I was up in Cleveland last month going about 75 in a 70 zone and this black Audi passed me going REALLY fast, I’d guess at least a hundred. He disappeared in seconds off in the distance.

Couple miles down the road he was getting his “welcome to Ohio” note from the state patrol LOL.


99 posted on 02/05/2022 8:55:48 AM PST by nascarnation (Let's Go Brandon!)
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To: CAluvdubya; M Kehoe

“Interesting, NV is #3. having our idiot governor copycat (he liked to do whatever Newsome told him to do until the casinos had enough of losing money) we don’t feel all that free. Sisolak totally embraced all the mandates.”

Nevada has legalized gambling and prostitution. CATO, being alleged Libertarians, likes this.


100 posted on 02/05/2022 9:00:07 AM PST by flaglady47 (Donald J.Trump, President in 2024 - DeSantis for VP (or Senior Advisor)til)
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