CEOs Rank Ohio 22nd for Best Business Setting
GREENWICH, Conn. -- For the ninth year in a row, CEOs rate Texas as the No. 1 state to do business. They rank Ohio 22nd and Pennsylvania 42nd.
Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Indiana also made the top five, according to Chief Executive magazine's annual Best & Worst States Survey. The states rated worst are California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
The Best & Worst States Survey measures the sentiments of CEOs on a range of issues, including regulations, tax policies, workforce quality, educational resources, quality of living and infrastructure.
Ohio was the biggest gainer in this year's survey, rising 13 spots from No. 35 to No. 22. "Ohio is doing some amazing things to attract and support a pro-business environment," said Don Taylor, CEO of Fairlawn, Ohio-based Welty Building Co. The biggest loser was Delaware, which dropped 13 spots to No. 27.
Ohio scored 2½ stars (out of five) for taxes and regulation, 4½ for the quality of its workforce and 3 for quality of life..
Among the CEO comments about the Buckeye State:
- “States like … Ohio are consistently trying to help us grow our business and are listening to the leaders of companies to help solve problems.”
- “Ohio’s lack of ‘right to work’ regulations and high utility costs make it increasingly more unattractive for capital investment.”
- “Ohio has made a dramatic turnaround under Republican leadership.”
- “Ohio is doing some amazing things to attract and support a pro-business climate.”
- “Michigan’s problem has been poor government and domination by the auto workers union. California also has poor government and excessive regulations and taxes. Illinois has corrupt government, high taxes and excessive regulation. Ohio is beginning to come back with better state government.”
Pennsylvania's rank of 42nd this year is up from 43rd in 2012. The Keystone State earned just 1½ stars for taxations and regulation, 3 for workforce quality and 3 for quality of life.
Some CEO comments:
- “God help anyone dealing with PA’s department of revenue.”
- “I consider [Pennsylvania] the ‘stupid state,’ not because it is consistently bad, but rather is inconsistent, which is far worse to plan business.”
- “Pennsylvania is by far the highest taxed for corporations but our workforce and those available to do work (welders, fitters, etc.) are the highest skilled. We also have an excellent group of colleges and universities in our area to supply us with engineers and other college-degreed employees. All of the states we are in except Pennsylvania are ‘right to work’ states and we are a non union shop.”
- “Pennsylvania Environmental regulations and their bureaucracy make it difficult to plan and build new projects in a timely manner.”
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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