Colorado – It must be noted that countless issues play into human decision-making. But the impact of public policy often is very important. The relative governmental costs among the states will impact where people live and work, that is, where they seek opportunity. Starting up, running and/or investing in businesses are risky ventures. But as noted earlier, those ventures spur the economy forward.
Putting aside the political rhetoric, just how friendly or unfriendly are the policies that elected officials actually implement toward entrepreneurship and small business? In terms of their policy environments, the most entrepreneur-friendly states under the “Small Business Survival Index 2009” are: 1) South Dakota, 2) Nevada, 3) Texas, 4) Wyoming, 5) Washington, 6) Florida, 7) South Carolina, 
Colorado, 9) Alabama, 10) Virginia, 11) Ohio, 12) Alaska, 13) Tennessee, 14) Utah, and 15) Indiana. In contrast, the most anti-entrepreneur policy environments are offered by the following: 37) Maryland, 38) Oregon, 39) North Carolina, 40) Connecticut, 41) Iowa, 42) Hawaii, 43) Minnesota, 44) Massachusetts, 45) Rhode Island, 46) Maine, 47) Vermont, 48) New York, 49) California, 50) New Jersey and 51) District of Columbia. (Please note that the District of Columbia was not included in the studies on the states’ liability systems, eminent domain legislation and highway cost efficiency, so D.C.’s last place score actually should be even worse.)
In September, Colorado was ranked in fourth place by Forbes.com as among the best states for business in a report assessing business costs, labor supply, regulatory environment, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life. State officials have been crowing about that ranking ever since. Also in September, the Washington-based Tax Foundation said Colorado has the 13th most business-friendly tax system in the country.
Colorado’s index is 48.250.
Among the Centennial State’s individual rankings in the report are:
• 8th for lowest top corporate income tax rates.
• 10th for lowest top corporate capital gains tax rates.
• 15th for lowest state and local sales and excise taxes.
• 18th for lowest electric utility costs.
• 20th for fewest state and local government employees.
• 20th for lowest state and local property taxes.
• 22nd for lowest crime rate.
• 28th for lowest state and local government spend, 2006-07.
• 36th for fewest “health insurance mandates.”
Rated ahead of Colorado as most friendly to small business are South Dakota, Nevada, Texas, Wyoming, Washington, Florida and South Carolina.
New the bottom along with D.C. are New Jersey, California and New York.
