2017 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Corporations

John Bel Edwards: 80% of C-corps pay no state tax; that's just not right

My proposal will ensure that those 80,000 C corps that pay no income taxes do their part. The Commercial Activity Tax--or CAT--is based on gross receipts, but will be a minimal graduated amount for businesses with gross receipts of less than $1.5 million. Corporations with receipts of over $1.5 million will pay 0.35% of their gross receipts.

For all other businesses in Louisiana--S corps, LLCs and partnerships, there will be no percentage tax. These entities will instead be assessed with a set and graduated tax, based on their gross receipts.

John Kasich: Businesses are job creators, the engines of job growth

Our state, with JobsOhio's support, is attracting businesses of the 21st century from a range of different industries. Not just agriculture, not just making things, but it's across the board.

How did we do it? We reassured job creators that Ohio knows how to fix problems itself. We don't need to go and impose anything on them. We eliminated income taxes for almost every small business in the state. They're the engines of job growth. We streamlined regulations, committed ourselves to constantly improving job training, which is a big, big deal. So job creators can have the workforce they need and Ohioans can take advantage of all the new opportunities coming our way.

Rick Scott: Fighting for Florida's Future: cut the commercial lease tax

One of the taxes we are fighting to cut is the commercial lease tax, which unfairly targets small businesses.

Florida is now the only state in the nation to tax commercial leases. Our "Fighting for Florida's Future" tax cut package will begin to repeal this unfair tax to help small businesses.

Chris Sununu: New department of Business and Economic Affairs

We need to unleash the potential of our economy to spur job growth and provide better opportunities for both businesses and workers throughout the state.

In addition, there will be a Small Business Advocate as part of this department, whose emphasis will be to represent the interests of New Hampshire's small business owners before state agencies, ensuring the voice of New Hampshire's small business community is heard, loud and clear.

Jim Justice: Raise business B&O tax, sales tax, state fees, & gas tax

Here's what you gotta do. You gotta cut all that we can possibly cut. I've got to have everybody in this state pay a half of a penny in additional sales tax. There is no way around it. I've got to have you pay instead of $30 in DMV fees, I've got to have you pay 50.

The other thing is this, in trying to be fair, I've got to have our businesses pay two-tenths of one percent in a tax that would be equivalent to a B&O tax. It is a tax that Ohio charges 25 hundredths percent. We would charge 20. And the other last thing I will talk to you about is I've got to have ten cents a gallon on gasoline. Now, I am telling you: If you don't do this, you're dead.

I want to sunset them: three years, you can get rid of this.

Phil Scott: Agency of Economic Opportunity: help find qualified workers

I'm already hearing some resistance to the idea. I understand this is not how we've always done things. But, for the life of me, I cannot see how we can stand by the status quo, knowing the workforce challenges we face. For years, we have all heard from employers who cannot fill positions. They are pleading for more qualified workers. At the same time, we all know Vermonters who cannot find jobs, or who work two or three jobs to make ends meet.

In this new Agency, we will literally put those in state government who help Vermonters find jobs shoulder-to-shoulder with those helping businesses create jobs.