SOURCE:
THE HILLURL:
http://thehill.com/opinion/finance/369536-census-data-show-people-flocking-to-low-tax-statesby Jonathan Williams
Just a month ago, as friends and families prepared to gather for the holiday season, the men and women at the U.S. Census Bureau were busy releasing their latest annual estimates of population changes across the United States.
With the hustle and bustle of the season, many Americans missed the important new data. The new census estimates detail how states have grown since the last full census in 2010. The estimates provide some fascinating insight on what we can expect from the quickly approaching 2020 Census.
For those of us wonky enough to follow the annual trends in state-by-state migration, the numbers were an early Christmas gift.
A report I have authored with Arthur Laffer for the past decade, "Rich States, Poor States," has tracked this movement, as Americans “vote with their feet†across state lines. Our research provides policymakers timely data linking migration to state-level policy decisions and economic competitiveness.
In general, states that keep taxes low and provide a competitive business climate perform far better than the states that follow the tax-and-spend approach.
In terms of overall population changes over the past year, that finding is once again confirmed. The United States has grown to nearly 327 million residents, with highly competitive economies in Idaho, Nevada and Utah leading the way this past year in percentage growth.
It is important to note that overall population growth takes into account several factors, including: birth rates and death rates, international immigration and domestic migration. This data provides a key barometer for policymakers as states compete for the Americans who continue to “vote with their feet†and move from state to state for greater economic opportunity.
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