Updated
Updated · Greater Baton Rouge Business Report · Aug 14
Local Government Business Support Hits Record Low as 51.9% of CEOs Feel Unsupported
Updated
Updated · Greater Baton Rouge Business Report · Aug 14

Local Government Business Support Hits Record Low as 51.9% of CEOs Feel Unsupported

2 articles · Updated · Greater Baton Rouge Business Report · Aug 14

Summary

  • 51.9% of CEOs in an Inc. 5000 survey said they feel unsupported by local government, marking a record low for business support and a 10.6% drop from a year earlier.
  • CEOs tied that frustration to complicated regulations, slow permitting and the need to navigate multiple government offices for routine business matters.
  • RAND research says local governments are central to entrepreneurship through policy, regulation and resource connections, but many programs expanded with COVID-19 relief money faltered after that funding expired.
  • Mark Funkhouser, former Kansas City mayor, said cities need to listen more closely to businesses and invest in staff and technology to deliver faster, smoother services.

Insights

Why are over half of top CEOs suddenly feeling abandoned by the very local governments meant to fuel their growth?
As pandemic funds dry up, will strict new state deadlines finally force local bureaucracies to fix their broken permitting systems?