The’ Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) has released its 18’ th’ annual’ "Small Business Policy Index 2013: Ranking the States on Policy Measures and Costs Impacting Small Business and Entrepreneurship."
SBE Council has published the state Index for 18 years, which ranks the 50 states according to 47 different policy measurements, including a wide array of tax, regulatory and government spending measures.
The states that have the most entrepreneur-friendly policies under the "Small Business Policy Index 2013" are: 1)’ South Dakota, 2)’ Nevada, 3)’ Texas, 4)’ Wyoming, 5)’ Florida, 6)’ Washington, 7)’ Alabama, 8)Indiana, 9)’ Ohio, 10)’ Utah, 11)’ Michigan, 12)’ North Dakota, 13)’ Arizona, 14)’ Colorado, and 15)’ Virginia.
In contrast, the states with the least friendly policy environments for small businesses are: 40)’ Rhode Island, 41)’ Connecticut, 42)’ Oregon, 43)’ Iowa, 44)’ Maine, 45)’ Minnesota, 46)’ Hawaii, 47)’ New York, 48)Vermont, 49)’ New Jersey, and 50)’ California.
The "Small Business Policy Index 2013" can be read and’ downloaded here’ ,’ with an interactive map and slide show’ on SBE Council's website here’ .’ SBE Council president and CEO’ Karen Kerrigan’ said: "Policy reforms that bolster small business startup and growth are mostly being implemented at the state level. ‘ Unfortunately, federal policy and uncertainty remains an overall negative for entrepreneurs and small businesses. But states vary widely in terms of their policy approaches. The top states on the Small Business Policy Index 2013 are streamlining government and lifting burdens like excessive taxation and regulation. They are passing responsible budgets, and living within their means. The worst ranked states keep treating small businesses and entrepreneurs as piggy banks to fund higher spending and bankrupt programs."
Kerrigan added: "Governors and state leaders who are serious about improving their entrepreneurial ecosystems are aggressively working to change policies that are harming entrepreneurship and business growth. ‘ The’ White’ House needs to closely examine what the most successful states are doing to help entrepreneurs. ‘ These pro-growth policies, if enacted at the federal’ level,’ would make a major difference for U.S. economic growth and competitiveness."
Raymond J. Keating, SBE Council's chief economist and author of the study, pointed out, "This study is straightforward and well documented. The Small Business Policy Index 2013 is built on sound, clear-cut economics, as understood in Economics 101 and evidenced by the many studies cited in the Index. Quite simply, the states are compared and ranked according to how state and local government policies impact costs and incentives for entrepreneurship and investment. In turn, such risk taking is critical to economic growth, income growth and job creation."
Keating added, "Small business owners and business leaders need to look at the details for their respective states. ‘ The Small Business Policy Index 2013 is a valuable tool to let policymakers know where improvements are needed, so that entrepreneurs can do what they do best, that is, start up and build businesses, innovate, grow the state's economy, and create jobs."
Small Business Policy Index 2013
Rank
State’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
‘ SBPI
1
South Dakota’ ‘ ‘ ‘
34.627
2
Nevada’ ‘ ‘ ‘
37.537
3
Texas’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
39.520
4
Wyoming’ ‘ ‘ ‘
44.414
5
Florida’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
48.863
6
Washington’
54.500
7
Alabama’ ‘ ‘
57.758
8
Indiana’ ‘ ‘ ‘
58.138
9
Ohio’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
61.372
10
Utah’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
62.740
11
Michigan’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
62.782
12
North Dakota’ ‘
63.490
13
Arizona’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
64.590
14
Colorado’ ‘ ‘ ‘
65.500
15
Virginia’ ‘
65.538
16
Mississippi’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
66.713
17
South Carolina’ ‘ ‘ ‘
66.808
18
Tennessee’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
68.081
19
New Hampshire’ ‘
68.789
20
Alaska’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
69.487
21
Louisiana’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
70.051
22
Georgia’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
70.307
23
Kansas’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
71.645
24
Oklahoma’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
73.392
25
Pennsylvania
73.685
26
Missouri’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
73.703
27
New Mexico’ ‘ ‘ ‘
76.799
28
West Virginia’ ‘ ‘
79.011
29
Wisconsin’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
80.024
30
Kentucky’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
80.061
31
North Carolina’
80.777
32
Idaho’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
80.782
33
Montana’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
81.169
34
Delaware’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
81.452
35
Illinois’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
83.047
36
Arkansas’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
83.462
37
Maryland’ ‘ ‘
84.491
38
Massachusetts’
86.408
39
Nebraska’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
88.476
40
Rhode Island
94.255
41
Connecticut’ ‘ ‘ ‘
94.632
42
Oregon’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
94.952
43
Iowa’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
97.002
44
Maine’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
103.264
45
Minnesota’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
103.486
46
Hawaii’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
107.070
47
New York’ ‘ ‘ ‘
107.213
48
Vermont’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
107.221
49
New Jersey’ ‘ ‘ ‘
109.265
50
California’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘
113.637
SBE Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy, research and education group that works to protect small business and promote entrepreneurship.’ For more information, www.sbecouncil.org.
SOURCE WASHINGTON,’ Dec. 12, 2013’ /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council