Governors Schwarzenegger, Bush, Owens, Pataki Receive
Lower Grades Than in 2004
10/19/2006 8:00:00 AM
To: National Desk
Contact: Kristen Kestner of the Cato Institute, 202-789-5212 or http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=74596&Link=mailto:kkestner@cato.org
WASHINGTON, Oct. 19 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Republican Governor Matt Blunt
of Missouri earns the highest score on the Cato Institute's ( http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=74596&Link=http://www.cato.org/
) eighth biennial fiscal policy report card released today. Out of 46
governors reviewed, Blunt is the only governor this year to receive the
grade of A for cutting his state's budget, eliminating hundreds of
government jobs and restraining Medicaid spending.
Republicans Rick Perry of Texas and Mark Sanford of South Carolina are
the next two highest scoring governors, receiving B's for their solid
commitments to keeping taxes and spending burdens low throughout their
entire terms. The highest scoring Democratic governors are Phil Bredesen
of Tennessee and John Lynch of New Hampshire, both of whom received grades
of B.
Nine governors, however, receive an F: Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana;
Michael Easley of North Carolina; Christine Gregoire of Washington; Kenny
Guinn of Nevada; Mike Huckabee of Arkansas; Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware;
Janet Napolitano of Arizona; Bob Riley of Alabama; and Brian Schweitzer of
Montana.
Of the 26 governors running for reelection this year, 12 earn a grade
of D or lower: John Baldacci of Maine; Rod Blagojevich of Illinois; Jim
Douglas of Vermont; Jim Doyle of Wisconsin; Robert Ehrlich of Maryland;
Dave Freudenthal of Wyoming; Ted Kulongoski of Oregon; Linda Lingle of
Hawaii; Janet Napolitano of Arizona; Bob Riley of Alabama; Arnold
Schwarzenegger of California; and Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who topped the 2004
governors report card with an A, drops to a D this year due to an overall
increase in his state's budget. Governors Jeb Bush of Florida, Bill Owens
of Colorado, George Pataki of New York and Bill Richardson of New Mexico
also earn lower grades despite receiving accolades in previous years.
The "Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors: 2006," ( http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=74596&Link=http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id(e
quals)6724 ) by Cato director of budget studies Stephen Slivinski ( http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=74596&Link=http://www.cato.org/people/slivinski.html
), emphasizes the importance of tax cuts and provides evidence showing
that "states that reduce taxes improve their prospects for economic
growth."
The latest report card grades 46 governors on 23 objective measures,
awarding the highest grades to those who have reined in spending and cut
taxes. Governors from four states (Alaska, Idaho, New Jersey and Virginia)
were excluded from the study either because they assumed office too
recently or for technical reasons.
Other key findings of the report include:
-- Constitutional spending restraints and tax cuts are arguably the
best solution for bloated budgets during boom years and for out-of-control
deficits during lean years.
-- Flat taxes create fewer economic disincentive effects and make state
revenue less volatile.
-- Medicaid must be reformed to avoid rising healthcare costs from
consuming state budgets.
"The lesson of the last 20 years is that governors can't tax and spend
their way to prosperity; they should stop trying," writes Slivinski. The
complete report contains detailed state-by-state data.
Policy Analysis Paper no. 581: http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=74596&Link=http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6724
http://releases.usnewswire.com/redir.asp?ReleaseID=74596&Link=http://www.usnewswire.com/
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/© 2006 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/