California ranked last due to high taxation and a genuinely “unfriendly attitude” toward business.
Missouri increased the most, rising to 22nd from 31st in 2013. In addition, Iowa, Nebraska, Delaware and Kentucky also advanced, jumping four points each. For the complete rankings, click here.
State governments use the survey results to help determine where they need to make improvements. “State and regional governments follow our annual ranking very closely,” said Marshall Cooper, CEO of Chief Executive Group and ChiefExecutive.net, who last week met with Mayor William A. Bell Sr. of Birmingham, Ala. in Chief Executive’s Greenwich, Conn. offices. “In past years, we’ve hosted governors and other state officials from Delaware, Rhode Island and Louisiana, among others.”
More than 500 CEOs responded to questions about their home state’s tax and regulatory regime, the quality of the workforce and the quality of the living environment.
In addition to a ranking of all 50 states, the survey includes:
To order extra copies of the May/June issue of Chief Executive magazine with the “Best & Worst States for Business 2014,” click here.
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