Explain this wingnuts; VT rated as one of the worst states to do business in: Unemployment 4% [View all]

[cali]

Unemployment fell again in Vermont. And even in the depths of the great recession, it never rose very far. Virtually every business organization says that Vermont is one of the worst places to own in business in, one of the worst places to start a business in and one of worst states for high business taxes and onerous state regulations. They claim all that leads to high unemployment. VT doesn't have gas or oil or any valuable minerals. It has a harsh and unforgiving climate. What it does have and has had for quite some time, is liberals leading state government- even when we had a republican gov for years, we largely had a veto proof dem legislature. What it does have are strict environmental laws, which have kept the state not only fairly healthy, but beautiful with a working landscape. What it does have, are a big chunk of people who have started business with a different ethos and model from the typical American one that is almost solely about profit:

So how come Vermont, if it's just so damned awful a place for business, also has one of the highest rates of people starting business? It has home grown companies like Burton, Green Mountain Coffee/Keurig, Ben and Jerry's, Jasper Hill, Seventh Generation, Gardener's Supply and high tech industries like Dealer.com, MyWebGrocer and BioTek Instruments. No, these aren't megacorporations, but they provide actual good employment,

So business organizations continue to lie their asses off. Doesn't seem to be hurting Vermont much.

GARDENER'S SUPPLY has long been a socially responsible business, which we've expressed by supporting employee volunteerism, sourcing sustainable products and donating 8 percent of our profits back to the community. To solidify our commitment, we have become a certified B Corp, a relatively new corporate designation that combines bottom-line profits and social responsibility.

What's in the name? The B is for benefit, and it's Corp as in corporation. As a B Corp – benefit corporation – we believe that business can be a source for good by serving shareholders and society. How a company serves society can take many forms, including environmental stewardship, service to those in need, sustainability and more. Like other companies with B Corp certification, we are change-makers that use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.

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http://www.gardeners.com/B-Corporation/8587,default,pg.html

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It’s hard to think of any two states more different than Texas and Vermont. For one, Texas has gushers of oil and gas, while Vermont has, well, maple syrup. As early as the 1940s, Texas surpassed Vermont in per capita income. Vermont had virtually nothing going for it—no energy resources except firewood, no industry except some struggling paper mills and failing dairies. By 1981, per capita income in Vermont had fallen to 17 percent below that of Texas. That year, the state’s largest city elected a self-described “democratic socialist,” Bernie Sanders, to be its mayor. Vermont, it might seem, was on the road to serfdom and inevitable failure.

But then a great reversal in the relative prosperity of the two states happened, as little Vermont started getting richer faster than big Texas. By 2001, Texas lost its lead over Vermont in per capita income. By 2012, despite its oil and gas boom and impressive job creation numbers, Texas was 4.3 percent poorer than Vermont in per capita income.

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http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/march_april_may_2014/features/oops_the_texas_miracle_that_is049289.php?page=all


http://taxfoundation.org/article/2014-state-business-tax-climate-index

http://www.bobthegreenguy.com/politics/the-ten-worst-states-for-business/