Do you know the work of the Trimedx Foundation? It’s a source of pride for Hoosiers. Our guest this week is Audra Plopper, Director of the Foundation, who explains how hospitals and doctors’ offices worldwide benefit from the donations and volunteers of the Foundation to maintain critical care equipment and train caregivers in the use of lifesaving technology. Hear it all at the Who Gets What? podcast, available at mortonjohn.libsyn.com
A recent report from the Bruning Law Firm of Chicagoland has gotten some good press. It contains lots of data for each of our 50 states, data that may draw more attention than they deserve.

The sources are basically very good government and private agencies, but what Bruning folks do with the data in some cases is less than very good and can easily mislead the unwary.

Let me offer an example. In the area of convenience, as opposed to the area of cost, 25% of the final weight, which determines a state’s score and rank, goes to the number of fueling stations per 100,000 persons. For Indiana, that figure is 89 per 100,000, ranking us 49th in the nation.

Except that figure is, to be polite, questionable. It has a confused numerator: [that’s the number on top of a fraction] the number of gasoline stations plus the number of EV (electronic vehicle) charging ports. Gas stations generally have two or more pumps. The more meaningful number would be the number of pumps added to the number of EV ports.

But wait, there’s more. The denominator [that’s the number on the bottom of a fraction] is the population of the state. Why? The pumps and the ports don’t provide energy for the people; they serve the number of vehicles.

So here is 25% of the weight that determines how convenient it is to own a vehicle in each state. Until they use the right data, I won’t worry about Indiana’s low ranking.

One more example. “Car expenses as a % of income was calculated by comparing Total Annual Expenses to Annual Average Wages.” Car expenses equal the total of Issuance, Registration and Parking Pass Costs. What parking pass? Bruning, the Law Firm, says this “captures long-term parking costs.” But their source says, “Park entrance fees.” What portion of the state’s population buys State Park passes?

Where are auto and gas prices plus other routine outlays for repairs or car washes? They have gas prices listed as a reference source, but don’t use them.

Then this questionable cost factor is divided by average wages. Well, wages and salaries were 76.5% of all Hoosier income. Nationwide that figure was 82% last year as many folks also have pensions, social security, various government payments, dividends, interest, and rents.

And why average wages when median household income is easily available and seems more appropriate. Average wages neglect the fact that many households have more than one worker.

Finally, in what kind of case will Bruning use this research? Would Perry Mason release it if it won’t stand up to even a gentle cross-examination?
Morton J. Marcus is an economist formerly with the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. His column appears in Indiana newspapers, and his views can be followed his podcast.

© 2025 Morton J. Marcus

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