#1 Business Climate
NO. 1 Tax Climate In the Southeast for Business » TaxFoundation.org
NO. 2 Best State for Business » Chief Executive magazine (up from No. 3 a year ago)
NO. 4 Best Business Climate » Business Facilities magazine
Top 3 Most Competitive States in Which to Operate from a Tax Perspective » Ranked by CFOs responding to a survey by the manage-ment consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal
BUSINESS-FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT
• 1,700 burdensome regulations eliminated in 2011
• $1 billion in tax cuts and exemptions from punitive taxes for nearly two-thirds of Florida businesses in 2011
• One of only 10 states with a right-to-work provision in its constitution
COMPETITIVE COSTS
• More affordable land, labor and capital than in many comparable states
• Special incentives for businesses in targeted industries
• Tax breaks for locating in rural and urban Enterprise Zones or on Brownfield sites
PRO-BUSINESS TAX STRUCTURE
• Limited corporate taxes; no personal income tax
• No property tax on business inventories or goods-in-transit (up to 180 days)
• Sales and use tax exemptions for specific industries/circumstances
EXPEDITED PERMITTING
• Ongoing efforts to make permitting processes quicker, less costly, more predictable
AVAILABLE RESOURCES
• Access to private capital from venture capital companies and financial institutions
• Access to public capital through federal and state programs
ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT
• One-on-one counseling and training via 35 Small Business Development Centers throughout the state and the National Entrepreneur Center in Orlando
• Flexible, low-cost space and business services for young companies at many high-tech incubators, accelerators and university-based research parks
• Assistance in preparing proposals for funding through the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs