10 Worst States for Business 2012: Slideshow

Yet again, California takes the title of the worst state in which to do business. Here are the other states that didn't perform well in this year's survey.
No 1: California

No. 1

California is the Worst State for Business 2012

Taxation and Regulations
Workforce Quality
Living Environment

Based on CEO Survey by ChiefExecutive.net

Development Trend Indicator—Negative
Sucking sound continues as frustrated businesses leave state for friendlier climes.
CEO Comments
“California – the government is the worst in every possible way.”

“California and Connecticut are full of impenetrable regulations and generally hostile to business.”

“California has a great draw from a weather & location view point, but the state is so business unfriendly.”

“California is a complete mess.”

“California is a hopeless disaster.”

“California, New York and Michigan all continue to lose population, due to the less than favorable business climate. It’s no coincidence that all three states have bloated governments, are union-controlled and run significant annual budget deficits… who knew?”

“California and Connecticut have state governments that are simply too big, too intrusive and too anti-business.”

“California and Michigan are predatory in their approach to business.”

“California, New York and Illinois are all anti-business.”

“California and Illinois taxes and regulation are just plain silly. They actively work to drive companies out of their state.”

“California and Massachusetts in league of their own for anti-business regulatory environment.”

“California and New York are a basket case… only the life style saves California.”

“California continues to head in the wrong direction as its tax policies will drive more businesses and people to relocate in other states. State politicians feel business and commerce are “necessary evils” that provide the funds to enable pursuit of their misguided agendas.”

“California government is difficult to work with and very bureaucratic. Taxes and regulation are high and unruly.”

“California has driven away business with bad rules and a refusal to acknowledge its problems. We should let it become its own country. The legislature is horrible.”

“California is a mess. Virginia is tops for governance and attractiveness to business. Colorado is great for living and governance. Only problem is not on a coast.”

“California is begging for businesses to leave its state.”

“California is going in the wrong direction if that’s even possible.”

“California is out of control. They have too much government who have nothing better to do than to harass businesses in the state. They need to cut the size of their regulatory bodies in half.”

“California is the interface with China, where all our money is these days.”

“California is the only state in which I have direct experience in operating a business. Simply stated, California is not employer friendly, does not encourage or incent businesses to grow and has far more regulations that anywhere else!”

“California is the worst! They are doing everything possible to drive a business out of their state. If the environment in CA was not so good, they would have lost half of their population.”

“California makes it truly difficult to operate a business, but especially a mid-size organization.”

“California regulations, taxes and costs will leave only tech, life sciences and entertainment as viable. If you aren’t an elitist no room here for the middle or working classes.”

“California should become set aside and not included in commerce with the rest of country. They have become impossible to deal with and proposed regulations will further distance them from rest of country.”

“California should secede from the union – it is like doing business in a foreign country, it has its own exchange rate, regulation is crazy.”

“California sucks!!!!”

“California treats business owners like criminals. CA has different overtime policies for it’s own employees vs. private sector.”

“California, Massachusetts and Vermont have enacted anti-business policies that are detrimental, especially to the medical device industry.”

“California, New York and Connecticut heavy on taxation and regulatory.”

“California…outlook is for an even worse business and tax climate under Governor Brown.”

“California’s regulation and specifically labor regulation is a job killer. We will be moving our business out of CA and the State will lose 100’s of jobs simply due to the poor regulatory environment.”

“California’s taxes and ongoing changes for regulations are devastating. One never knows from even day to day what new intpretation of an existing regulation or new regulation will befall you and your small business. Every single state or federal program payor source for healthcare has tried to stop paying for programs in the last year. If we dealt with the real issue of state and federal government entitlement pension plans, we would stop raping all current programs that support our citizens. We also need to deal with the benefits issue for all of the illegal immigrants and spread that cost over all of the states to eliminate them, as another reason for California’s budget woes is the disproportionate share of that cost we carry.”

“California is the most difficult state to deal with on all fronts.”

Click here to see an in-depth analysis of the Best/Worst States for Business 2012

 


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.