2011 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Corporations


Bev Perdue: Tax relief for corporations from highest rate in southeast

Tonight I propose giving North Carolina one more tool to attract new jobs and to grow jobs here in existing small businesses: Tax relief for corporations and for small businesses. Right now, we have the highest corporate tax rate in the southeast. That means our businesses are paying more taxes when they could be creating jobs. That's a strike against us from Day One as we work to convince businesses that North Carolina is the best value. Businesses look at more than the bottom line, but the botto line is the big difference maker in a company's relocation decision. So in this budget--we will continue to fund our business incentives for job growth and job recruitment. And I am asking the General Assembly to lower our corporate tax rate to 4.9%--the lowest in the southeast and one of the lowest in the nation. This change will push North Carolina to the forefront in growing jobs for our people. And that, my friends, must be the No. 1 priority for every one of us in this chamber tonight.
Source: North Carolina 2011 State of the State Address Feb 14, 2011

Paul LePage: Depreciate bonuses; reduce business tax rate to under 8%

To help create jobs in Maine, we include bonus depreciation for businesses investing in our economy's future. We increase the exemption for the death tax to make it easier to pass a family business to the next generation and to reduce the incentive for moving wealth out of Maine. And we lower the tax rate on families and business success from 8.5% to 7.95%, the lowest top income tax rate in Maine since 1975.
Source: Maine 2011 State of the State Address Feb 10, 2011

Scott Walker: Expand relocation & economic development tax credits

Yesterday, I signed an expansion of our relocation and economic development tax credits. These measures will help our state attract and retain businesses and jobs. Although we have accomplished a lot in a short time, we should not celebrate too much the bills that have already passed. We are under no illusion that simply calling a Special Session means that all is better in Wisconsin. The fact that we needed to call a special session at all is a sobering reminder of all the work we have left to do.
Source: 2011 Wisconsin State of the State Address Feb 1, 2011

Steve Beshear: Incentive programs for businesses; to bring in jobs

In the last year and a half, nearly 250 companies have used our new incentive programs to announce planned investments of almost $2.2 billion. That's billion. More than half of Kentucky's manufacturers plan to hire in 2011. Unemployment rates are down in 84 counties from a year ago. State receipts are up 5.4% through the first half of the year--the first time in three years that revenues aren't falling short of projections.
Source: 2011 Kentucky State of the State Address Feb 1, 2011

Terry Branstad: Reduce state corporate income tax from 12% to 6%

This budget make it clear that Iowa is ready for job creation. We all know that small businesses are the engines of our growth. Yet, our small businesses pay an income tax rate that is highest in the nation at 12%. And our small business pay commercial p
Source: 2011 Iowa State of the State Address Jan 27, 2011

Jack Markell: Expand manufacturing; reform permitting; help small business

Historically, Delaware has been defined by what we make. Manufacturing jobs have provided a ladder to economic independence for countless families and they must remain part of our economic future. Our Delaware Manufacturing Association will build on effective past outreach to local manufacturers on topics ranging from lean manufacturing techniques to energy savings programs. Together, we will work to develop and implement new ways to expand manufacturing jobs.

We will stay focused on the particula issues facing our small businesses. That means continuing our efforts to make permitting more efficient and predictable. It also means recognizing that one of the most important assets of any small business is its workforce. Too often, small business owners have trouble negotiating and paying for healthcare coverage for their workforce, or attracting the best workers when they don't. We will implement the new federal health care act in a way that most helps our small businesses.

Source: 2011 Delaware State of the State Address Jan 20, 2011

Nikki Haley: Reduce red tape; time is money

As we focus on lowering our unemployment rate in South Carolina, we will hone in on ways to improve the business environment in our state. Every one of my cabinet directors understands that his or her job is to reduce the amount of red-tape placed on our businesses. In the business world, time is money--if government is costing our small businesses time, it is costing them money. That's unacceptable. The heart of our economy is and always will be our small businesses. If we give them cash flow, if we giv them profit margins, they aren't going on vacation--they will use those dollars to hire people, to invest back in our state. And it will be our people, and South Carolina's economy, that benefit. We have spoken some about moving forward with one vision. To the great credit of those in this room, in the seven short days I have been governor, we have made great progress.
Source: 2011 South Carolina State of the State Address Jan 19, 2011

Dave Heineman: We lowered taxes over last 3 years; do same for next 4 years

Our efforts to lower taxes three years ago and our determined resolve not to raise them the past three years has resulted in a more competitive business environment and improved rankings in the annual Tax Foundation survey. In 2006, Nebraska's business climate was ranked 45th of 50 states. We were one of the top 10 highest taxed states in America. Today Nebraska is 29th. We have improved our ranking more than any other state except one. During the next four years, we need to reform our income tax system so that middle class families and small business owners don't pay at the same marginal rate as Nebraska's richest citizen. We need to lower corporate tax rates. Lowering taxes will create more job opportunities for our citizens.
Source: 2011 Nebraska State of the State Address Jan 13, 2011

John Hickenlooper: Regulatory impact statement on all new legislation

In the days ahead, I would like to see if we could look at adding a regulatory impact statement or something like a regulatory impact statement to new legislation. Just as we require a fiscal note for every new bill that estimates the costs to state government, we could also include an estimation of the cost to businesses of additional regulations. We also hope that every bill you consider passing will be viewed through the lens of its impact on our economic growth. This doesn't mean we compromise our standards or put our land, air or water at risk, but it does mean that we'll keep a fierce and even relentless focus on jobs.
Source: 2011 Colorado State of the State Address Jan 13, 2011

Earl Ray Tomblin: Sales tax credit for new business; & tax increment financing

I believe there are steps we can take to make West Virginia more attractive to businesses. We lack a sales tax credit to assist distribution and fulfillment businesses with some up-front costs for expanding or locating in W.V.

I also believe we need to overhaul our tax increment financing program. This program allows local communities to use future gains in taxes to finance current economic development projects. [We should] refocus our efforts at creating these economic, job-creating districts.

Source: 2011 W.V. State of the State Address Jan 12, 2011

Matt Mead: Continue the manufacturing sales tax exemption

I support continuing the manufacturing sales tax exemption. The current law has the exemption expire at the end of this year. Forty other states have this exemption and Wyoming must remain competitive.

Nearly 200 Wyoming businesses already use the exemption. As we speak out-of-state manufacturers targeted by the Wyoming Business Council and my office anticipate the exemption. Without the extension, we risk the real possibility these businesses will locate in other states.

Source: 2011 Wyoming State of the State Address Jan 12, 2011

Dennis Daugaard: Revamp MicroLOAN program for small businesses

I will revamp our MicroLOAN program, which provides loans to small businesses. This program is underutilized because it is too bureaucratic. I will streamline the application paperwork. I will also prioritize loans to aid in the sale of small businesses. [Sometimes] the value of a business's inventory is so high that banks are hesitant to finance a potential purchaser. We can use the MicroLOAN program to help younger owners purchase these businesses and keep our small town businesses open.
Source: 2011 South Dakota State of the State Address Jan 11, 2011

  • The above quotations are from 2011 Governor's State of the State speeches.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Corporations.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Andrew Cuomo on Corporations.
  • Click here for more quotes by Jack Dalrymple on Corporations.
Candidates and political leaders on Corporations:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018