The libertarian Cato Institute released its new “Freedom in the 50 States” rankings this week, and to the surprise of no one, New Jersey rounded out the bottom of the list. #47 to be precise.
“This study ranks the American states according to how their public policies affect individual freedoms in the economic, social, and personal spheres,” the authors explain. “The 2023 edition updates and expands on the six previous editions of Freedom in the 50 States. It examines state and local government intervention across a wide range of policy categories—from taxation to debt, from eminent domain laws to occupational licensing, and from drug policy to educational choice.”
Click here to review the full report.
New Jersey’s worst category? Regulatory freedom, a point which wasn’t lost on tax reformers and pro-business organizations alike.
“The latest freedom ranking showing New Jersey third to last is unacceptable, yet not surprising. The Garden State misses the mark in nearly every category,” Americans for Prosperity Northeast Regional State Director Ross Connolly and Jersey 1st Founder and President Rosemary Becchi explained in a joint statement. “New Jersey has some of the highest property taxes in the country and a suffocating regulatory environment, it is no wonder people are fleeing our state at record-high rates. The Cato report goes to show that overbearing regulations, outrageously high taxes, and radical government spending are unpopular and leave people worse off.”
“The people of New Jersey deserve better. Our state should be a place where people want to live, work, and raise a family, but anti-freedom policies make it nearly impossible to afford to do so,” the pair added. “AFP-NJ and Jersey1st are committed to working with local government, small businesses, and individuals to promote prosperity and empower every individual to achieve the American dream. As the states at the top of the freedom rankings have shown, prosperity is possible when we have the freedom to succeed.”
