Think tank gives Guinn top marks

Monday, Feb. 12, 2001 | 10:47 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The libertarian think tank Cato Institute today gave Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn a grade of A in its fiscal report card, one of only two A's out of 47 governors graded.

Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci, also Republican, was the only other governor to receive the top grade.

Those who cut taxes and cut spending were graded highest.

The report lauded Guinn as the "perfect example of a governor who brings to the office the businessman's sense of streamlining a company." It praises him for "cutting large amounts of state spending," including scaling back the growth rate of funding for state universities.

Three governors, all Democrats, got F's: Gray Davis of California, John Kitzhaber of Oregon and Tom Vilsack of Iowa. Three governors were excluded for methodological reasons.

Republicans faired better in the study, but only slightly.

The full study is available on Cato's website (www.cato.org). Cato is a Washington-based public policy research foundation that touts the "traditional principles of limited government, individual liberty and peace."

archive