State-by-state comparisons are prized at the Legislative Reference Library. They provide speedy answers to what would otherwise be time-consuming research projects. New reports added to our collection this month can quickly answer questions like: How do Minnesota's sales taxes compare to our upper-midwestern neighbors? How economically competitive is Minnesota? How much money did Minnesota appropriate to state arts agencies, compared to other states, in recent years? And on top of all that, one new state-by-state report ranks Minnesota the top in the nation.
The State of the Nation Project from Tulane University "brings together a diverse group of thought leaders—from across the political spectrum." Their recent report, The Nation's 250th Anniversary State of the States Report ranks Minnesota first in the nation across a range of metrics. Minnesota particularly stands out in this report for our voter participation, life expectancy, and volunteerism.
Two new reports examine taxation and other economic indicators, and provide quick comparisons between Minnesota and other states. In the newest issue of the Tax Foundation's long-running report, Facts & Figures : How Does Your State Compare?, you can see how Minnesota measures up on many areas of taxation, from sales tax to property tax to excise tax. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) also has a new report out, looking not just at taxation but other economic factors like state GDP, state minimum wage, and population trends.
Summer break may be a good time to look at how Minnesota students—from preschool through high school—compare to those in other states. Rankings of the States and Estimates of School Statistics and The State of Preschool: State Preschool Yearbook each contain a wealth of data to consider before the school year starts up again in the fall.
Some state-by-state reports cover more granular policy areas and the new issue of State Arts Agency Revenues is a good example. This report provides a nation-wide view of arts funding, and then breaks down funding trends by state. This report indicates Minnesota provides strong support for the arts, ranking high for per capita spending on state arts agencies.