I discovered this booklet which includes 50 state comparisons of taxes & revenues; government; economic; education; natural resources; transportation; Public Safety & Courts; health & welfare etc. It was mixed in with the Harvard Review, The Economist and many of my wifes other academic-intellectual periodicals [[shes the smart one in this relationship dont know what she sees in me) Anyways, it covers the years 2006-2008..some interesting figures Ill share some and the address to order the booklet...

Michigan ranked: #8 in population with 10,071,822 [[in 07)
#25 in monthly owner and rental housing costs $1,426 [[2007)
#39 smartest state ranking [[based on 21 educational factors
including graduation rates, revenues, class sizes, test scores
etc.
#45 in per capita spending on natural resources $43.97
[[2005-2006)
#31 in relative health in 2007 -0.6 score
#5 Patents issued 4,179

There are all kinds of interesting facts and statistics: percent without health insurance;welfare recipients as percent of population; teacher salaries;state and local police and fire spending so on and so forth....

THE TAXPAYERS NETWORK

721 Cardinal Lane, Suite 105
Green Bay, Wisconsin 54313
[[920)434-3100

www.taxpayersnetwork.org