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SALT LAKE CITY — A recent study ranked how free each of the 50 United States are based on a detailed set of criteria.
The study came out of George Mason University’s Mercatus Center and was authored by assistant political science professors William Ruger and Jason Sorens. The freedom study is now in its fourth year; the rankings have changed over the years from state to state.
Utah ranks 10th on the list overall. The criteria for defining freedom according to the study were based on an extensive list of factors.
Utah ranked high in the list for fiscal and economic freedom. In this category, states were evaluated under sections like tax burden, government employment, government debt and fiscal decentralization.
“In terms of fiscal policy, Utah remains a low-tax state with better-than-average fiscal decentralization and government employment,” the study cites. “However, the state could do a lot better on spending and debt.”
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Utah ranked middle of the batch when it came to personal freedom. This field was determined based on factors such as tobacco freedom, alcohol freedom, marriage freedom, marijuana and salvia freedom and civil liberties.
“Utah has by far the tightest alcohol regulations in the country,” the study cites. “It is one of only three states with total state control over alcohol distribution, the only state to ban all beer kegs, and the only state other than Tennessee to do all of the following: require server training, allow local communities to enact blue laws, and ban ‘happy hour’ promotions.”
Each state receives suggestions from the analysts based on the data collected. Ruger and Sorens suggested Utah focus on reducing its debt, eliminating occupational licensing and resisting the urge to raise taxes any further on tobacco.
Since 2009, when the study began, Utah has increased six points on its overall freedom score, according to data collected each year. For 2013, New York ranks number 50, or the least free, and North Dakota ranks number one.
