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The business climate in Florida for entrepreneurs is a tad better than mediocre, according to new report.
The fourth annual Thumbtack.com Small Business Friendliness Survey scores the Sunshine State a C+ in overall friendliness. Utah, Idaho, Virginia and Louisiana were among the top states, while the lowest-rated states were the usual suspects of unfriendly business locales: Illinois, California, Connecticut and New Jersey lead the way there.
The survey, compiled in conjunction with the Kaufmann Foundation, is a complement to another recent Thumbtack/Bloomberg survey, which looked at the small business sentiment statewide. Highlights from the friendless survey include:
Florida is one of the few states where male business owners were more likely to give positive grades to the friendliness of state government than female business owners. Men rated it 4% higher than their female counterparts;
Florida is a top 10 state in ease of hiring and a friendly tax code;
In the personal experiences and comments section, complaints about licensing, regulations and permits were most common.
Many responses from across the state talk of a heavy-handed business environment that pits government vs. entrepreneurs.
“The city government is interested in collecting fees, not building or assisting companies that are trying to build a business,” states one small business owner, who lists his occupation as a retired wedding official and pastor in Oldsmar. “They are not there to protect anyone but their own jobs and feel important.”
Then there's this, from a real estate manager in St. Petersburg: “When wanting to start or create a business, the city is not in the least bit concerned about helping you by informing you on tax credits, grants you may eligible for or cost savings ideas. They just want their license fees.”
Here's the overall report card on Florida from the survey:
Ease of starting a business: C
Ease of hiring: A-
Regulations: B+
Health and safety: B+
Employment, labor and hiring: B
Tax code: A-
Licensing: B
Environmental: C+
Zoning: B-
Training and networking programs: B-
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