Most studies need to be taken with a grain of salt. This one needs a whole shaker full:
A study released this month by UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute claims extending marriage to same-sex couples could boost Indiana’s economy.
The report said wedding-related expenditures and visitors coming to the state for ceremonies would generate over $39 million in spending for the state’s economy. That means $2.7 million in sales tax revenue would be generated and up to 564 full- and part-time jobs could be created, the study said.
In the first place, most economic projections (for getting a major convention or sporting event, for example) are overly optimistic and contain more variables than the forecasters would like to admit. And this particular projection includes a hefty wishful-thinking component.
And in the second place, we seem to be on an inevitable path to same-sex marriage as the national norm. Just based on judicial interpretations of the Supreme Court's DOMA ruling in the last few weeks, I'd even say that is coming sooner rather than later. When that happens, we'll have a level playing field, and states will then be competing on the same terms they always have. Gay marriage won't be an advantage or disadvantage for any state in the union.
