Sunshine still sells, at least in the Sunshine State

Florida economic development officials should play up the state's strengths — especially the sunshine — when it comes to wooing businesses, according to a new report from the Florida Chamber Foundation.

On the flip side, the foundation reports high taxes remain the bogeyman of successful economic development.

The foundation, the research and policy arm of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, polled 19 businesses that moved to the state between January and June of 2011. The survey, released earlier this month, was the foundation's first comprehensive attempt to gain data and insight into why companies come to Florida. “In an economic environment where approximately 794,000 of our fellow Floridians are unemployed, it is imperative to understand what is driving firms to either enter or leave the state,” Carrie Blanchard, foundation research and policy director, says in a release.

One gleaming understanding from the survey is that sunshine really does sell. In fact, 94% of survey respondents say they were either somewhat satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of life in Florida. The highest levels of satisfaction, according to the survey, were in weather and natural scenery.

The business recruitment picture in Florida becomes more clouded, however, when respondents answered tax and regulatory questions. For example, respondents most frequently cited payroll taxes and health care costs as “somewhat of a burden.” More specifically, almost half of the respondents say property taxes are “somewhat of a burden,” while 42% believe the corporate income tax was “somewhat of a burden.”