Do New York’s high taxes actually deliver better results?

New York spends billions more in taxpayer cash on services than its counterpart states — without delivering a better outcome. Just look at the facts . . .

MERICA’S four largest states — California, Texas, Florida and New York — have a lot in common. They are iconic, dynamic and diverse. Each could be formidable countries themselves.

And, yet, they are also very different in their politics and governance. California and New York are dominated by Democrats who have implemented the nation’s highest and sixth-highest marginal income tax rates, respectively, to help finance large social programs and bureaucracies. (NewYork’s rate rises to secondhighest if New York City income tax is included.)

Texas and Florida, meanwhile, have been governed mostly by conservative Republicans for decades; they are among the few states that levy no income tax on workers, while maintaining leaner social programs.

Our big four states provide a good test case for two very different visions: Do higher taxes and bigger government actually deliver better outcomes, particularly in terms of education, poverty alleviation, and infrastructure? Orcan simpler governments and lower taxes actually raise the fortunes of their citizens? Here, the facts tell the story. And while this analysis is simple, it suggests that the grand visions of progressives in California and New York have failed to deliver on their promises.

Neither blue state has shown any clear ability to improve the academic outcomes of their kids, alleviate poverty for those in need, or provide good roads and bridges for their people. While Texas and Florida have their share of problems, they seem to foster more upward mobility and trust in government, which partly explains why 6.4 million people have moved to those states since 2010.

California and New York are great states, with enormous built-in and historic advantages spanning generations. They deserve laws and lawmakers that live up to those qualities.