Today, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) released its"US Business Policy Index 2012:Ranking the States on Policy Measures and Costs Impacting Small Business and Entrepreneurship."Vermont ranked 48th out of the 50 states.
The Index, now in its 17th year, ranks the 50 states according to 46 different policy measures, including a wide array of tax, regulatory and government spending measures. (Visit the interactive map of the Index, which highlights the key positives and negatives for each state as well as the ranking - onSBE Council's website here.)
The most entrepreneur-friendly states under the "U.S. Business Policy Index 2012" are: 1)South Dakota, 2)Nevada, 3)Texas, 4)Wyoming, 5)Florida, 6)Washington, 7)Alabama, 8)Utah, 9)Colorado, 10)Arizona, 11)Michigan, 12)Virginia, 13)Indiana, 14)South Carolina, and 15) Mississippi.
In contrast, the states with the least favorable policy environments include: 37)North Carolina, 38)Massachusetts, 39)Nebraska, 40)Minnesota, 41)Rhode Island, 42)Connecticut, 43)Oregon, 44)Iowa, 45)Hawaii, 46)Maine, 47)New York, 48)Vermont, 49)New Jersey, and 50)California.
SBE Council president and CEOKaren Kerrigannoted: "With all of the focus on federal policy in recent times, it is important to remember that policies at the state level have a major effect on entrepreneurs and businesses for better or for worse. Many governors understand that a friendly policy environment is critical to attracting investment and business, and they are working to improve key policies that will help drive job growth, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity. Small businesses are benefiting from policy competition between the states, and it is encouraging to see leadership on key issues such as fiscal reform, sensible spending, and tax and regulatory relief. The difference in policy costs from state to state can be quite striking, and that matters for entrepreneurship and for a state's economy."
Raymond J. Keating, SBE Council's chief economist and author of the study, pointed out, "Quite simply, policy decisions matter when it comes to making business and investment decisions. Entrepreneurs and investors understand this fact of economic life. But it's hit or miss with elected officials. As illustrated by this index, some get it, and some clearly do not."
The "U.S. Business Policy Index 2012" (formerly the "Small Business Survival Index") can be read and downloaded on SBE Council's websitehere. For an interactive online U.S. map summary, pleaseclick here.
U.S. Business Policy Index 2012
Policy Ranking (from most favorable to least favorable)
Rank
State
1
South Dakota
2
Nevada
3
Texas
4
Wyoming
5
Florida
6
Washington
7
Alabama
8
Utah
9
Colorado
10
Arizona
11
Michigan
12
Virginia
13
Indiana
14
South Carolina
15
Mississippi
16
North Dakota
17
Tennessee
18
Ohio
19
Alaska
20
New Hampshire
21
Georgia
22
Missouri
23
Oklahoma
24
Pennsylvania
25
Louisiana
26
New Mexico
27
Wisconsin
28
Kansas
29
Kentucky
30
West Virginia
31
Idaho
32
Montana
33
Delaware
34
Arkansas
35
Illinois
36
Maryland
37
North Carolina
38
Massachusetts
39
Nebraska
40
Minnesota
41
Rhode Island
42
Connecticut
43
Oregon
44
Iowa
45
Hawaii
46
Maine
47
New York
48
Vermont
49
New Jersey
50
California
SBE Council is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy, research and education organization that works to protect small business and promote entrepreneurship. For more information, please visit:www.sbecouncil.org.
SOURCEWASHINGTON,Dec. 13, 2012/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council