As the economy improves and states continue to vie for new investment and jobs, they also seek the attention of site consultants who help companies make their new facility and expansion decisions. With that in mind, Area Development’s fourth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site consultants ranks the states based on their number of mentions in 17 categories (scores were weighted based on position in each category and then overall).
. . . California added jobs at the fastest year-over-year pace in more than a decade, thanks to strong growth in key industries and several important economic policy changes by state government that have incentivized companies to invest in the state. Recent relocation and expansion announcements include Samsung (2,000 jobs, $300 million), Amazon (1,785 jobs, $450 million), Advanced Call Center Technologies (2,000 jobs, $25 million), Vision Service Providers (400 jobs, $50 million), and Caterpillar (150 jobs, $25 million).
The state government also recently passed legislation that will phase out the enterprise zone program and replace this dated incentive with statewide sales tax exemptions on manufacturing, biotech, and R&D equipment; a hiring credit for businesses in existing challenged areas on wages between $12 and $28 per hour; and a new unit that will offer corporations and small businesses tax credits as part of a new, more flexible incentive to create jobs in California.
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