State gets mixed grades on personal, economic freedoms | Local News
BOSTON — Massachusetts is known as the ‘cradle of liberty,’ but a new report suggests the state has a mixed record of personal and economic freedoms.
The Cato Institute’s “Freedom in the 50 States” report, released last week, measures states against each other using 230 metrics of how their policies promote freedom in fiscal, regulatory and economic realms.
Massachusetts was ranked 30th in the nation for overall freedom by the self-described Libertarian think-tank, dropping from a 16th place spot in 2017.
The state placed 25th for personal freedoms, which include a variety of categories including victimless crimes, guns, tobacco, and education. That’s down from a 16th-place ranking just three years ago.
However, the Bay State was ranked No.1 for…
