Freedom, Mercatus Center

As the federal government and states struggle with the best ways to boost prosperity, a new study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University "Freedom in the 50 States: An Index of Personal and Economic Freedom," takes a comprehensive look at states' public policies that affect individual freedom in economic, social and personal areas. The study is a follow up to the first in 2009.




We're number 11 in Florida. Not good, but then not bad either.

Florida Analysis

Despite lacking a personal-income tax, Florida is average in almost all fiscal categories, rising well above average only on decentralization, local budget constraints, and government employment. Property and general sales taxes are higher than average. Florida’s gun laws are about average nationally but below average for the South. Marijuana laws are generally quite restrictive, and there is a Salvia ban. Florida is one of the few states to mandate personal injury coverage in auto-insurance plans. Other than mandatory registration, Florida’s regulation of private schools is minimal, and homeschooling is also lightly regulated apart from recordkeeping requirements. Land-use planning has gone very far in Florida, and greater room for local flexibility in development plans is probably warranted. Florida has improved by allowing the federal minimum wage to catch up, and the state also benefits from right-to-work laws and a relatively good workers’ compensation regime. To its credit, Florida has gone further than any other state in reforming eminent domain. Health-insurance coverage mandates have gotten much worse, with an 8.5 percent jump in policy-attributable premium costs between 2007 and 2009. Contribution limits on grassroots PACs are unnecessarily restrictive for such a large state. Smoking bans exist, but there is some local flexibility for bars, while cigarette taxes are low. Florida has RFRA and bans raw milk.

Policy Recommendations

1. Stop adding health-insurance coverage mandates and consider repealing the ones that exist.
2. Raise campaign contribution limits to candidates, particularly for individuals and grassroots PACs.
3. End mandatory registration of private schools.