• Absolute domestic migration, 1997 to 2006. Utah's was a negative 33,558 during that period, putting Utah 34th.

• Non-farm payroll employment growth from 1996 to 2006. Utah's was 26 percent, or fifth among states.

Texas, Florida and Arizona led the economic performance rankings. At the bottom were Michigan, Ohio and Illinois. The individual rankings for Utah in the outlook survey are:

• Top marginal personal income tax rate: 5.35 percent, 21st-ranked.

• Top marginal corporate income tax rate, 5 percent, ninth.

• Personal income tax progressivity (change in tax liability per $1,000 net income), zero, second-ranked.

• Property tax burden (per $1,000 of personal income): $27.30, 13th.

• Sales tax burden (per $1,000 of personal income): $32.61, 38th.

• Remaining tax burden (per $1,000 of personal income): $17.47, 18th.

• Estate/inheritance tax: No, first.

• Recent legislated tax changes (2005 and 2006, per $1,000 of personal income): Minus $1.91, seventh.

• Debt service as a percentage of total tax revenue: 10.3 percent, 38th.

• Public employees per 10,000 of population (full-time equivalent): 505, 10th.

• State liability system survey (tort litigation treatment, judicial impartiality, etc.): 67.7, ninth.

• State minimum wage (federal floor is $5.85): $5.85, first.

• Average worker compensation costs (per $100 of payroll): $2.06, 14th.

• Right-to-work state (optional joining or supporting of a union): Yes, first.

• Number of tax expenditure limits (with zero being the least and three being the most): One, 13th.

• Economic freedom index score (voucher, ease of private/home schooling, etc.): 1.34, 24th.

The report is available at www.alec.org.

---

E-mail: bwallace@desnews.com