You really would think . . .

. . . that it would occur to a bunch of economists that perhaps it might be a little more important to people in choosing where to live that Minnesota is prosperous enough to have a median income for a family of four that is 15% higher than the national average? And that the surrounding states with whom we are "competing" compare with Minnesota on the same measure thusly:

Minnesota . . . 72.379
Wisconsin . . . 66,998
Iowa . . . 61,238
N. Dakota . . . 57,070
S. Dakota . . . 55,359

And remember, the Milwaukee - Chicago corridor in located the southeastern corner of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin also has a strong tourist industry along the Lake Michigan shore. Wisconsin is the only other state in these five about the national mark.

The above figures come from an earlier post of Spotty's. There is also a link to the Census Bureau in that post that shows where the above figures come from.

In an article in today's Star Tribune, interviewing some economists, nobody mentions these facts. (Spot can't find a link to the story on the Strib website; you will have to read the story on page one of the "B" section in the dead tree edition.) It is obvious to Spotty that a large part of the money the State spends is actually an investment that provides a return to its citizens, and certainly to its wealthy ones.

By the way, Art Rolnick's comments were curious. Art has hounded the states for years to stop the game of offering tax incentives to attract business, yet in the article he says Minnesota needs to be "in line" with everybody else. Spot isn't sure he entirely understands. And Art, if you are getting $500 suits at the Mall of America, will you tell Spot where?

Spot believes this is the first time he has been able to be self-referential, which is deeply satisfying to Spot.