CEOs rank Calif. worst for business

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panda

panda

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California gets an "F" for taxation and regulation.

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Here?s what some CEOs said about California as a place to run a company:

?Texas is pro-business with reasonable regulations while California is anti-business with anti-business regulations.?

?California is terrible. Even when we?ve paid their high taxes in full, they still treat every conversation as adversarial. It?s the most difficult state in the nation. We have actually walked away from business rather than deal with the government in Sacramento.?

?The leadership of California has done everything in its power to kill manufacturing jobs in this state. If we could grow our crops in Reno, we?d move our plants tomorrow.?

Does this suprise anyone?  :)

http://jan.freedomblogging.com/2010/05/04/ceos-rank-calif-worst-for-business/36609/

California ranks last among the states and Washington D.C. as a place to do business, according to Chief Executive magazine. It is the second year in a row that the state was given that dubious distinction.

Such assessments are important in the interstate wrestling match for economic growth, Chief Executive notes. ?High-stakes competitions for business expansion are nothing new. But with the current unemployment rate, the stakes have gotten much higher. As a result, negotiations for business expansion in 2010 will be more complex and financially significant.?

The publication is so harsh about the California that it calls the state ?the Venezuela of North America.? (Click on chart for a larger view):
 
I wonder how CA ranks in terms of finding networks, decision makers, talents/workers & overall opportunities...  there is a reason why CA is so tough on small/large business and there is a reason why businesses keep starting here and people still want to live here...

There is also a reason why states like South Dakota is so business friendly yet, no one wants to go there...
 
Yep... it may suck for businesses but people LOVE to live in Cali... so while taxation/regulation might be horrible... let's measure number of businesses and revenue vs the other states to put more perspective on that 'F' grade.
 
I work with many people from Utah and Iowa since my work's main suppliers are from Utah and Iowa.
They always talk down on California:  high taxes, high housing price, high density, traffic, etc.  However, they LOVE to come out to Southern California on business trips.  Whenever possible, they also bring the family.  When they are here, they marble at the weather (especially during summer and winter), the beach, the activities, the variety of food, etc.  When it's time to go back home, they say that they wish they could stay.

When I go to Utah or Iowa on business trip, I always want to get back.  The weather sucks, the place is ugly (at least the parts I visit), there's nothing to do, beer sucks in Utah, etc...  After I land at John Wayne airport and start driving home, I can really appreciate how beautiful Southern California is.  Driving home in Irvine just adds to the beauty of Southern California.  I feel this EVERY time I get back from Utah or Iowa. 

However, I do wish that California becomes more business friendly.
 
Irvine2Irvine,

I agree with your 100%. Newport Beach, Irvine, and the OC would be my #1 choice to vacation in the U.S. Nothing beats the weather and beauty of Southern California. Nowhere in the U.S. I2I, I think you are a bit older and much more established than us early 30s folks as you mentioned you have teenage children. For someone in their early 30s looking to build and expand, Irvine is a stressful place to start out as the cost of living and cost doing business is extremely high, but that does not stop me from vacationing in the most beautiful place in the country. (Irvine & South OC) :)
 
Panda,

Yes I am a little older (early 40s) with my oldest about to enter the "teen" years. 

I do feel your pain and feel sorry for all of my youger coworkers as well.
If you are young and want to buy in Irvine with your ability alone, you still can.  You just have to settle for older, smaller house.  When I was shopping for my first house in 1995, I looked at the new houses in Irvine.  I could not believe how much they were asking especially when I count mello-roos and association dues.  I thought it was insane for people to buy these new houses.  I almost bought a new house in Orange which was much cheaper and did not have mello-roos.  But ended up buying an old, small house in Irvine mainly because my wife went to UCI and loved the city.  There are many older Irvine neighborhoods with great layout and great community feel with friendly neighbors.  One of these "older" homes served me very well for 15 years and I would definitely miss my neighbors.

 
Irvine2Irvine said:
Panda,

Yes I am a little older (early 40s) with my oldest about to enter the "teen" years. 

I do feel your pain and feel sorry for all of my youger coworkers as well.
If you are young and want to buy in Irvine with your ability alone, you still can.  You just have to settle for older, smaller house.  When I was shopping for my first house in 1995, I looked at the new houses in Irvine.  I could not believe how much they were asking especially when I count mello-roos and association dues.  I thought it was insane for people to buy these new houses.  I almost bought a new house in Orange which was much cheaper and did not have mello-roos.  But ended up buying an old, small house in Irvine mainly because my wife went to UCI and loved the city.  There are many older Irvine neighborhoods with great layout and great community feel with friendly neighbors.  One of these "older" homes served me very well for 15 years and I would definitely miss my neighbors.
Click to expand...

I2I,
Thanks for sharing. Did you live in the same home for the past 15 years in the older Irvine neighorhood you described? That is so awesome that you were shopping for your first Irvine home in 1995. Trojanman and I are so jealous. :)

Do you remember which new villages were highly sought after at that time? Was Turtle Rock already perceived to be a high end neighborhood back then? Were there plenty of excess inventory of new homes where anyone can just walk in and sign a contract to buy a home in 1995? Were the builders willing negotiate on the asking price then?
 
Panda,

Yes, I did live in the same house for past 15 years. 

Back in 1995, Turtle Rock was basically the most expensive area in Irvine so I didn't even think about it.  The new developments were in West Park and I could have bought there by just walking in, no waiting list.  However, they weren't really negotiating on price or giving incentives.  We also looked at Anaheim Hills and Orange and the sales offices in Irvine were always 5x busier, just like today. 

In 1998, we thought about moving to a new house and looked in West Irvine, Northwood Pointe, and Rancho Santa Margarita.  Northwood Pointe was WAY too much.  West Irvine was more manageable and Rancho Santa Margarita even cheaper.  Actually, West Irvine and Rancho Santa Margarita was the same builder with exactly same floorplan but West Irvine was 10-20% more.  We decided not to move and stayed put.

Again in 2002, we looked at new houses in Northpark and Yorba Linda.  By 2002, you had to get on waiting list and there were only non-contingent sales.  Once again Northpark was very expensive.  Yorba Linda house had lower price, better floorplan, no mello-roos and was in a golf course community (no golf course view).  We got on the waiting list and put a deposit on the Yorba Linda house.  Three days later, my wife decided that she wanted to stay in Irvine, so we cancelled the contract and got our deposit back.  We remodeled the house and stayed put.

Fast forward to 2010, we bought a Sonoma house.  Third time was a charm.

Looking back, I could probably have stretched myself and got a house in 98 in West Irvine or 2002 in Northpark.  I have always regretted (just slightly) not buying in 1998 or 2002.  If I had bought back then, I would not have to move in 2010.  It would have been in smaller house but would be much smaller payment also.
 
Irvine2Irvine,

Thank you for this information. That is quite a journey. Seriously... Congratulations on your new Sonoma home purchase as both IHO and I thought that those homes were absolutely beautiful~ You deserve it and you shouldn't have any regrets of not buying in WI or NP in '98 and '02.

Best Wishes to you.  :D
 
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