Source: Winston Salem Journal
For the second year in a row, North Carolina was named “America’s Top State for Business”, according to CNBC’s annual ranking of the best states for business.
“Companies in desperate need of skilled workers are going where the people are, and people are going to North Carolina,” Scott Cohn, CNBC special correspondent, stated. “The state’s well-balanced economy is handling the growth well.”
CNBC praised the state’s workforce quality, infrastructure, and the collaboration between Governor Roy Cooper and Republican leaders to land large investments from companies — like Apple, Wolfspeed and Toyota — in recent years, as some factors for its number one placement.
“Our talented, educated workers are the foundation of our economic success,” Gov. Roy Cooper stated during his State of the State address in March.
According to CNBC, the state amassed a trophy case of economic development wins, including Bosch’s manufacturing facility expansion in Lincolnton, a $458 million biomanufacturing facility to be built in Greensboro, and a $58 million turkey production facility in Goldsboro.
The state also brought in two major wins through Vietnamese electric vehicle manufacturer, VinFast, which announced its first North American plant in the state, and the expansion of Durham-based semiconductor materials manufacturer Wolfspeed.
Although the state brought many economic successes, CNBC did not shy away from calling out the political division in North Carolina.
With state Republicans failing year after year to fully invest in public education, the passage of a controversial abortion ban bill, and an ever-growing health care coverage gap, CNBC notes that these factors, and more, could negatively impact the state’s business success.
“We are not here to fight Mickey Mouse. We are here to fight for jobs,” Cooper told CNBC.
“You still see people going to Florida and Texas…but you begin to see deterioration over time. Site selectors will tell you these issues matter when it comes time for businesses to make tough decisions.”
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