Thursday, July 12, 2007
News Georgia takes hit in list of best places to do business
Posted by John F. Sugg on Thu, Jul 12, 2007 at 9:45 PM
The big news today among the state’s go-go economic boosters is that the University of Georgia may land the new “National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility,†a $500 million project of the Department of Fatherland … er, Homeland Security.
Nary a word of skepticism in Atlanta’s Daily of Depleted Circulation that there is more to this top-secret “bio-safety level 4†lab – think of The Andromeda Strain – than “defense.†Hint: We’re talking Pentagon and Bush administration, so you can bet they’ll be cooking up nasty new bugs at UGA. Maybe the folks in Athens want a big target painted on the town. For my money, I'd say, NIMBY.
But even if making the list of five finalists for the Homeland Security lab is a feather in Georgia’s cap, the real economic development news for the state is downright dismal.
Forbes magazine's second annual ranking of “The Best States for Business†shows Georgia tumbling from a respectable No. 10 spot to a mediocre No. 15. Considering the extraordinary lengths state officials go to – and the amount of your money they’re willing to spend – in order to attract businesses, that’s an “F†on the report card.
Five regional rivals – Virginia (No. 1), North Carolina (No. 3), Texas (No. 4), Florida (No. 7) and Tennessee (No. 13) – topped Georgia on Forbes’ list.
The survey tallied six categories: business costs, labor, regulatory, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life. Georgia lost out big in areas such as labor, which includes workforce education; economic climate, which compares a number of items, including the growth of salaries; and quality of life, which measures schools, health care, crime, cost of living and poverty. Whenever schools and health care -- and in Atlanta, crime -- are mentioned, you know Georgia isn't going to put points on the scoreboard.
So, while Gov. Sonny Perdue is spending millions to bring fishing tournaments to Georgia and Mayor Shirley Franklin is on a never-ending series of junkets around the world, neighboring states are investing in schools, lowering crime rates and improving salaries.
The one area Georgia did excel at was regulatory environment. We ranked No. 4. Cynics might suggest that’s easy to understand. Especially with the Public Service Commission, we have the best regulators money (as in corporate cash) can buy.
Latest in Fresh Loaf
-
Chance White's Perfect Party: Remnant – A Post-Apocalyptic Steampunk Epic
Local filmmaker is part of the team making a steam punk epic for the Web, and talks about his experience winning the Atlanta 48HFP.
-
Former Fulton prosecutor who played key role in BMF investigation arrested on drug charges 1
Charged with intent to distribute meth, ecstasy
-
Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition being dissolved
MAACC getting folded into the Atlanta Regional Commission
- More »
More by Author
-
Tale of two mayors 44
One is a hero to his city, the other a hero to campaign contributors
-
The ripple effect 37
The subtle ways the judge in the Peachtree-Pine case is hurting Atlanta
- More »
Comments (0)