Our 51st state...?
Study takes all the counties contiguous to Mexico
and runs the numbers as if they comprised a 51st state.
The study, “At the Cross Roads: U.S./Mexico Border Counties in Transition,” was prepared for the U.S./Mexico Border Counties Coalition. The two-year study takes a unique approach by grouping the 24 counties along the border of Mexico as a “51st state” and comparing it to the rest of the country.
Among the findings:
–Border counties would rank No. 1 in federal crime as a 51st state, primarily because of drug and immigration arrests.
–If San Diego County is not included, border counties would rank last in per capita income. With San Diego County, border counties would rank 39th.
–If considered a 51st state, the border counties would rank 50th in percent of residents above the age of 25 who have completed high school.
–As a 51st state, border counties would rank last in the number of health care professionals available for residents.
Coalition officials are using the study to illustrate the problems facing the border when they meet with members of Congress.
Phew!
The index for the whole report [each section is a separate .pdf] is here.
Posted: Fri - April 21, 2006 at 06:47 AM