The upcoming reapportionment, based on the 2010 census, is a study in contrasts. States that will gain seats include Texas (four seats), Florida (two seats), Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington (one seat each). States losing seats are New York and Ohio (two seats each) and Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania at one seat apiece. Now, do a quick comparison. The states gaining seats have an average state personal tax rate of 2.8% – those losing seats 6.05%. Per capita government spending is lower in the states gaining seats ($4008) vs. the losers ($5117). And, in 8 of the 10 loser states, workers can be forced to join a union as a condition of their employment, whereas 7 of the 8 winning states are Right-To-Work states. Americans intuitively know what’s best for them, and are voting with their feet!
