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Taxes
Top personal income tax rate:0%
Top corporate income tax rate:5.5%
Energy costs
Electricity:10.32 cents/kilowatthour
Gas (avg. price/gallon):$2.22
Labor
Minimum wage:$6.40/hour
6. Florida
Index score: 40.82

Florida has no personal income, capital gains or estate tax. Since so many people move to or visit the Sunshine State, the consumer base is growing, and demand is especially strong in health care, services for the elderly, and tourism. "All these great things are going for the state, it attracts a lot of people and entrepreneurs," says Kerrigan. A key issue facing business owners is the quality of the workforce, since the school system has a "pretty bad" reputation, says Kerrigan. The state also has a relatively high crime rate and minimum wage.
* SBE Council, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit which advocates for reduced government taxes and regulations on small business, tends to lobby for the Republican agenda when it comes to taxes and regulations.
In exclusive rankings for FSB.com from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council*, we looked for places low on taxes and light on government regulations. These places aren't. (more)
Which places are low on taxes? Exclusive rankings for FSB.com from the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.* (more)
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