The Blog at MSPC

The check engine light for Washington’s business climate is flashing. Lawmakers have passed a series of massive tax increases and regulations that have caused companies in Washington to financially suffer and some leave the state altogether.

Small businesses are an essential part of a strong economy, and in the Mountain West, recent data suggest that the entrepreneurial spirit remains strong. Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana all ranked among the top ten states nationwide for small-business growth.

History has proven time and again that free markets reward work, raise living standards, and create opportunity.

Prediction markets are not going to give us a sports almanac. But they can give us something valuable: A better understanding of what thousands of citizens believe the future may hold.

Is a potato created by a farmer, a packer, or a wholesaler? If the potato is turned into French fries, who is responsible for the packaging fees under Extended Producer Responsibility laws?

States and local governments are the policymakers holding the sledgehammers to significantly address the housing crisis by removing barriers to supply.

Here’s one statistic Wyoming should seek to shed: being first in the Mountain West in Small Business Administration (SBA) pandemic loan fraud on a per capita basis.

Montana’s economy has momentum. Smart workforce and tax policies can help ensure that momentum becomes a lasting opportunity.

If states want tax relief that does more than provide temporary relief—if we want a tax cut that changes the state's long-term economic trajectory—then reducing the individual income tax should be near the top of the list. And Montana is front and center in the current conversation.

The vivid contrast between Seattle and Bellevue is a lesson every municipality in the country can learn from. Imposing high local taxes and onerous regulations incentivizes individuals and businesses to look to neighboring jurisdictions for relief.

Congratulations, everyone. The politicians saved the grocery stores. Except, of course, for the ones that are closing.

Idaho holds a distinction that should concern policymakers in Boise: Idaho has the highest flat individual income tax rate in the country.

A new study from consumer spending site WalletHub recently ranked the “Best States to Live” across the country, with Idaho grabbing the top spot in the study. The other Mountain States scored relatively well, with Wyoming coming in sixth and Montana 14th, though Washington state ranked in the bottom half at 33rd.

And a new ranking of business formation across the 50 states provides a revealing look at just how differently entrepreneurship is unfolding across America.

It's no coincidence that the top states in the country for growing hourly wages embrace limited regulations, prioritize tax relief, and favor a small government approach. Combining growing wages, affordable purchasing power, and a favorable business climate means higher productivity and economic growth.

One of the reasons socialism continues to appeal to new generations is that it begins with goals that almost everyone shares.

Maintaining a competitive economy requires constant attention to workforce development, business investment, tax and regulatory restraint, and the policies that encourage innovation and opportunity.

Idaho is being rewarded for its prudent budget policies. The Evergreen State is facing a business climate in distress from self-inflicted wounds. Unless Washington changes course, expect more of its citizens and businesses to head east to enjoy the benefits of the Gem State’s fiscal discipline.

Every year, millions of Americans make one of the biggest decisions of their lives: whether to stay where they are or move somewhere they believe offers greater opportunity. They aren’t just choosing a new home. They’re choosing a different set of public policies.

Montana policymakers have pursued one of the nation's most ambitious state-level housing reform agendas. Even with those efforts, it will take time to mitigate the growing tension between economic growth and housing attainability.