California has been given an F rating in terms of cost of living, cost of doing business, and “friendliness to business”, which evaluates how welcoming states are to successful businesses and how bureaucratic policies can be. The lowest states have consistently stayed there, particularly the five lowest states, according to the survey. The worst states for business, according to the survey, are California, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Washington. Establishing your business in California can be a valuable asset for businesses around the world.
Why? It is home to the country's largest economy. On an international level, it has the fifth most significant GDP. Even though California has some of the most popular cities, these exact locations are (not coincidentally) the worst cities for business. Let's take a closer look at why the state could be a nightmare for your company.
While small businesses are essential to the economy and are the ones that create the most jobs, stringent regulations and excessive bureaucracy often impede business operations. Big names, from Tesla to Oracle, have already moved to states like Texas, which offer much more business-friendly regulatory environments. In fact, California manufacturers are treated more similarly to foreign manufacturers than to companies confined to their homes. California's extensive post-secondary education system makes the state a leader in innovation and development.
Conservative economic experts love to justify “business-friendly” policies to state governments as key to employment growth, which is ultimately the key to economic policy-making. San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles and other widely recognized cities are located in California. Although the CEO survey ruled out California's business-friendly attitude, the state's economic growth surpasses the four states that top the magazine's ranking. From agriculture to film production, from advances in STEM to tourism, California's economy is backed by strong foundations.
Critics often say that California's economic growth depends almost entirely on Silicon Valley and on the capital gains revenues of its wealthiest residents, but the state's primacy in high technology encompasses fields outside of Northern California, such as biotechnology. This isn't about praising California's governance - the state's inability to address its shortage of affordable housing is a scandal and an obstacle to future growth - but rather highlighting the foolishness of business climate surveys. California also currently has one of the highest personal income taxes in the country for people with high incomes. Texas ranks first largely because it has no corporate income taxes, a fast-growing population, a low-regulatory business climate, and a diverse and skilled workforce.
While Texas and Florida consistently rank in the top positions and California in last place, the report highlighted a positive side for the Golden State. Unfortunately for their credibility, the most predictable aspect of economic growth in the United States is that California will rank in or near the top positions. These could include proximity to key markets and key suppliers, which would raise the ranking of California - which has the country's largest consumer market and easy access to Asian markets and suppliers. The question is inspired by the publication of another survey that places California in last place among states according to its receptivity to business.
