If anyone expects to lead a round of cheers over Florida business landscape, it should be the state’s chief financial officer: Jeff Atwater.
As newly re-elected CFO, Atwater, in his latest “Dollars & Sense” email blast, went on about a new report giving high marks to Florida’s business environment.
In particular, Atwater pointed to the Tax Foundation’s “State Business Tax Climate” Index, ranked fifth best business climate in the nation. Rankings used a scale based on corporate, individual income, sales, unemployment insurance and property taxes.
Florida was the most populous state to make the top five, listed behind Wyoming, South Dakota, Nevada and Alaska.
There was no mention of a recent Florida TaxWatch white paper casting a shadow of doubt on the metrics Tax Foundation used to come up with its rosy picture for the Sunshine State.
Apparently, there is no room for any “Debbie Downers” in Atwater’s message, except when noting the index lists New York and New Jersey as the two worst tax climates in the nation.
Atwater is quick to grab some of the credit for Florida’s good reputation.
“We are fortunate to have business and state leaders who understand that a healthy and competitive business climate is a catalyst for prosperity and sustainable economic growth,” Atwater writes. “As your Chief Financial Officer, I will continue to hold government accountable and work every day to ensure that Florida remains consumer and business-friendly.”
And why shouldn’t he be happy? Atwater won re-election by more votes than either Gov. Rick Scott or the rest of the Republican Florida Cabinet – and is high on the list as a possible candidate for governor in 2018.
He has good reason to brag.
