Do public sector unions lead to higher state deficits? No.

[telemann]

Comments

[enders_shadow]

I didn't know NY state was the most heavily unionized in the country. I did know that Staten Island, for all it's flaws, is the most heavily unionized county in the country.

[telemann]

Never knew that, and considering how conservative S.I. is ;)

[futurebird]

They are a funny bunch over there.

[underlankers]

The biggest irony of them all is that the most zealously conservative states in the Union take far more out of the Union than they pay into it. The Blue states, OTOH, pay more into the Union than they take out of it, and the heavily unionized states are subsidizing the ones that want the society of the 21st Century with the tax rate of the 1830s. I wonder what would happen if the Red States actually had to pay our own damn bills?

[underlankers]

Frankly I wonder what happens if the Blue States ever get tired of being labeled as the root of all evil by the people they subsidize......

[ddstory]

Is it just me or Wisconsin really looks to be in the golden middle?

[mrsilence]

To point out it's in the middle, I know that you are keen, but it's not the middle, mode or average, rather, it's the mean.

[ddstory]

Mean...middle...

[mrsilence]

Hey diddle diddle, the median’s the middle,

You add then divide for the mean.

The mode is the one that you see the most,

And the range is the difference between.

[meus_ovatio]

States that elected Republicans are in dire financial straits.

Coincidence?

I hardly think so!

[geezer_also]

There ya go, my state does it backwards again :(

[rasilio]

Now if only these graphs actually proved anything

[geezer_also]

Welcome to telemann's statistics :D

[politikitty]

So what you mean to say is that while public unions might be bad for the economy at a later date, it has nothing to do with the current financial crisis. What an incredibly off-topic point. But one I'll entertain anyway.

Only unions get pensions?

Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas and Kentucky are all among the top ten states that are projected to run out of their pensions. (source) All have around 25% or less public union participation.

New York, with over 75% public union participation was one of five states estimated to not run out within the next 25 years.

[whoasksfinds]

we know we'll have to make cuts eventually, but lets just keep delaying those cuts as long as possible. yep, sounds like a short sighted career politician to me.