The level of economic freedom in the sunshine state has been in decline.  That’s according to the Economic Freedom of North America Index released last week by the conservative non-profit Frasier Institute.

The annual report from the Canadian based think tank measures and ranks the level of economic freedom in the 50 states and the Canadian provinces.  The report considers the size of government, taxation and labor market freedom to determine how much control individuals, entreprenuers and businesses have over their financial resources. 

We spoke with Florida Gulf Coast University Economics Professor Dean Stansel about the report, and what Florida’s ranking indicates about the prospects for economic recovery.