https://blog.thomas-bray.com/tags/sunbelt/Recent content in Sunbelt on Rabid CuriosityHugoen-usThomas BrayTue, 17 Mar 2026 10:40:00 -0500https://blog.thomas-bray.com/posts/public-finance-south/Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:40:00 -0500https://blog.thomas-bray.com/posts/public-finance-south/<h2 id="the-fiscal-character-of-the-south">The Fiscal Character of the South</h2> <p>The South is America&rsquo;s fastest-growing region and, in many ways, the testing ground for the low-tax, low-service model of governance. The combination of population growth, relatively low public sector legacy costs, and aggressive interstate tax competition has produced a distinctive fiscal philosophy—and significant debate about whether it actually delivers better outcomes for residents.</p> <p>The region spans three Census divisions: the South Atlantic, East South Central, and West South Central, covering sixteen states with considerable internal variation.</p>