July 9, 2007

Looking into the numbers game

Heard some rather disconcerting numbers recently.

Of course, numbers don’t tell the whole story, at least most of the time. And the old saying, “Figures don’t lie, but liars figure” should always be kept in mind when dealing with numbers.

For example. Indiana’s unemployment rate was just 4.5 percent in May, but the number of people with jobs in Indiana has fallen by 27,500 over the past year. Go figure.

But I digress.

Last time I checked, Indiana was fourth in the nation in total tax revenues from the gambling industry. Well folks, things are progressing in the Hoosier state. We’re now in second place, behind only the fine upstanding people in Nevada. Aren’t you proud.

However, perhaps there's good news here: Indiana is still fourth in gross gaming revenues, meaning we get more tax money per dollar spent on gambling in the state than, presumably, any other state, since Nevada is head and shoulders above us in total revenues.

Here’s another sobering number: 40 percent of all births in Indiana are paid for by Medicaid. Can’t find any good news portion of that.

What’s Indiana good at, besides collecting from gamblers and bringing more babies into poverty? You might be surprised...

— Despite the moaning and groaning about property taxes, we’re below the national average on property taxes per capita (ranked 27th with an average of $975). New Jersey is the top dog at $2,099.

— Our gamblers must be in the casinos, as Indiana residents are 27th of the 43 states that have a state lottery in sales per capita ($130 per year). Virginia is No. 1; the average Virginian (or are they called Virgins?) spent $2,190 for lottery tickets in 2006.

Speaking of which, if you feel lucky, today, 07-07-07, might be a good day to buy a lottery ticket ... or seven.

But I digress again.

— The ratio of our government employees is low: Full Time State and Local Government Employees per 10,000 residents, Indiana ranks 36th in the nation.

— We have a low outstanding debt per capita, our auto and home owners insurance rates rank 42nd and 31st respectively, we’re below average on natural gas and electricity rates, above average on ACT scores of high school graduates, and Indiana teachers are above average in their pay.

— A puzzler: In the Small Business Survivor Index, which ranks states on the burden that government places on small business, Indiana comes in 12th, with No. 1 being the best. The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council ranks the states on 26 tax and other factors that affect businesses.

However, the Beacon Hill Institute ranks states on fiscal policy, technology, human resources and infrastructure to produce an Economic Competitiveness Index. Indiana comes in 45th.

So, pick your argument: Indiana is good for business or Indiana is bad for business, and we can find the stats to back it up.

Which certainly says something about the reliability of numbers.

by MARK MILLER

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