What price freedom?WITHOUT the sunshine, the beaches, the hot rods and culture, where does California wind up? Near the bottom of the heap, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a new survey that quantifies which states are the friendliest toward business. The Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy in San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden created an "economic freedom" index to measure states according to 143 business-friendly variables--from tax rates to tort laws, welfare spending to environmental regulations. California ranked 49th (and New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of 50th). Though the Golden State ranked near the bottom in three heavily weighted categories--regulatory burdens and government and welfare spending--it placed second in judicial reforms and 21st in government size. Lawrence McQuillan, the group's project director, said that California's judicial ranking got a boost from recently enacted workers' compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. reform that now puts it ahead of most states in reducing litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. . He also acknowledged that Californians are willing to pay more to live here. "Many people choose to live with less economic freedom and to get other benefits, like the weather, that can't be measured," McQuillan said. For those businesses looking to relocate, the survey found Kansas, Colorado and Virginia had laws that encouraged free enterprise. The study was released last week in association with Forbes magazine, which also provided its ranking of the best cities to live in. Overall, Madison, Wis., captured the No. 1 ranking, followed by Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Tex. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. ranked 116th overall and near the bottom of the list, at 147th, in cost of doing business. Best and Worst States rated highest and lowest in 'economic freedom.' 1. Kansas 2. Colorado 3. Virginia 4. Idaho 5. Utah 46. Illinois 47. Rhode Island Rhode Island, island, United States Rhode Island, island, 15 mi (24 km) long and 5 mi (8 km) wide, S R.I., at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. It is the largest island in the state, with steep cliffs and excellent beaches. 48. Connecticut 49. California 50. New York |
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