With a surfeit of sources supplying stories on states' fiscal surpluses this news cycle:

• New York Times
• Washington Times
• Wall Street Journal
• Shreveport Times (yes, even Louisiana)

... we thought we'd take a step back and look at comparative gains and losses in state economic productivity, as reported in BEA's report last week on state economic growth. According to the report, the top and bottom five states in per capital real GDP for 2006 are as follows (2003 ranking in parens): 1 Delaware (1) 2 Connecticut (2) 3 Massachusetts (3) 4 New York (6) 5 New Jersey (4) ... 46 Oklahoma (45) 47 Montana (48) 48 Arkansas (47) 49 West Virginia (49) 50 Mississippi (50) Big gainers (2003-06): Oregon (28->18); Iowa (30->24); Vermont (34->29) Big losers (2003-06): Michigan (23->35); S. Carolina (40->45); Indiana (29->33)