Forbes ranks Utah best business state for 2nd year

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah is topping Forbes magazine’s list of “Best States for Business and Careers” for the second year in a row.Gov. Gary Herbert announced the honor Wednesday, saying the ranking was no accident and comes as state leaders make deliberate efforts to make Utah business-friendly.The Forbes report says no other state matches Utah’s consistent economic performance. The magazine cited energy costs 31 percent below the national average and employment growth that averaged 0.6 percent over the past five years.That tops the national rate, where job growth has averaged a negative 0.6 percent since 2005.Forbes says Utah was the only state to rank in the top 15 in each of the rating’s six criteria, including business costs, labor supply, regulation, economic climate, growth prospects and quality of life.

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