Author: Joe Horvath

If you work hard enough and create sufficient value for your fellow man, you can succeed in the United States. That has long been the sentiment underlying the concept of the American Dream. Dreams, however, aren’t enough, and must be translated into reality. Hardly anything reflects the manifestation of a dream into a reality more than pure, unbridled, American entrepreneurship. In an America with no remaining physical frontiers, entrepreneurs are the new pioneers. Through being clever, innovative, adaptive and customer-focused, an individual can make his or her own fortune, creating something from nothing. Just like the pioneers heading out west…

New England is beautiful, but it is broke. Income inequality is a severe problem in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Rhode Island’s state pensions continue to take on water. Only two New England states (Maine and New Hampshire) enjoyed growth of two percent in the first quarter of 2016. The poor economic outlook for the region could explain why, since 2005, almost every state in the region has lost population, on net. The path to change, however, sometimes begins with merely a good idea. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Center for State Fiscal Reform recently released the second edition of its…

From the issues that birthed the United States to the proliferation of tax reform think tanks and taxpayer advocacy groups, the unpopularity of taxes is undeniable. Protests and white papers, however, are not the only measure by which distaste for taxes can be measured. Taxpayers, both wealthy and economically depressed, are savvy, reacting to opportunities and state fiscal policy with great consistency. When faced with high taxes in one state, they will choose to move to another, often revealing their preference for lower taxes by their choice of new home state. While Maine is moving in the right direction, the…

A common argument put forth by proponents of tax-and-spend schemes is that pro-growth tax reforms are a guaranteed way for a state to destroy its bond rating. Following a recently updated assessment of Maine’s economy by prominent credit ratings firms, the state’s current path of pro-growth tax reforms clearly has not hindered its economic outlook or competitiveness. Maine is enjoying better economic growth than the rest of New England, state revenue projections are being met and credit ratings are not in danger of reaching 2005 levels, when the state suffered considerable downgrades thanks largely to an economic downturn. Two of…

New England, on the whole, is an economically-depressed region. Between 2004 and 2014, the average cumulative growth of a New England state’s gross domestic product was less than 29 percent. During that same time, no New England state enjoyed growth levels among the top half of the United States, and only Massachusetts was higher than 36 out of 50. That said, while economic underperformance has been the region’s hallmark lately, hope has not completely faded. As the recently released ninth edition of the Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index reflects, Maine officials have been helping the state…

In the recently-released ninth edition of the Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index rankings report, Maine earned its highest all-time rank of 38. While near the bottom of the 50 states, the mark is commendable in that it is the first time Maine has escaped a ranking in the 40s. Additionally, since its all-time low of 48 in 2011, Maine has improved every year, save one. Because of work done by the Maine State Legislature and Governor Paul LePage to reduce tax burdens on individuals and businesses, Maine is becoming more competitive in the New England region.…