Finding The Right Place To Live And Work

Saturday, March 1, 2003

Finding The Right Place To Live And Work (NAPSA)—What do companies look for when they want a community that will welcome their employees and support their bottom line? Arecent survey taken by Hamilton Beatty & Staff showed that businesses consider four primary criteria when lookingto re-locate: * Quality workforce * Costof living * Number of companies in their industry (a cluster) Number of employers who hire employees with similar technical skills and educational backgrounds. So where in the United States are a growing number of companies going to fulfill these criteria? According to the poll, it appears that the region to fulfill these criteria is the Tampa Bay area in Florida. Studies show the area is the largest retail market in the state, and is on a pace to expandits job base to 1.59 million by the year 2015. Another study shows that Tampa Bay’s image as a vibrant business community has dramatically improved. Factors about Tampa Bay that get high ratings with both work- Photo Courtesy o ee “ls Companies like a place with a high quality workforce and workers like a place with a high quality oflife. ers and corporate decision makers are the good salaries, the quality of public education, comparatively low property taxes, quick government permitting, the absence of state and local income taxes, the good weather, and the good access to national airports, beaches, and cultural activities. The survey showed that there wasalso a significant link between tourism and relocation decisions. Nearly three-quarters of company executives said personal experiences, such as vacations and golf trips, affect where they consider establishing operations. For more information see www.TampaBay.org.

--- PHOTOS ---

File: 20190801-094054-20190801-094052-56349.pdf.jpg

--- FILES ---

File: 20190801-094052-56349.pdf