CEO Business Climate Survey 2011 - Silicon Valley Leadership Group

SILICON VALLEY
CEO
SURVEY
BUSINESS
CLIMATE
2011
Elected Officials
Improving Government
SILICON VALLEY
CEO
SURVEY
BUSINESS
CLIMATE
2011
The assessment of Governor Jerry Brown, who assumed office on January 3, 2011, is more positive. The data below shows that
almost half of the respondents do not yet have an opinion of the governor. In all likelihood, the 2012 survey results will shed more
light on this question.
Two facts need to be mentioned, however. First, inasmuch as Brown was governor between 1975 and 1983, some respondents
no doubt had impressions from the past. Second, the Leadership Group had a close relationship with former Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, as demonstrated by past data.
Is the Governor on the right track (1) or the wrong track (5) in creating a healthy business climate?
32%
2011
6%
2010 2009 2008
8%
9%
9% 18%
26%
14%
9%
14%
25%
38%
10%
27%
13%
42%
18%
14%
2%
27%
39%
Improving Government at the Local, State and Federal Levels
Members of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group strive for
constructive relationships with representatives at all levels of
government. To that end, the 2011 CEO Business Climate
Survey asked participants to cite how government entities
could be more responsive to the business climate of their
companies and employees as well as the betterment of the
region. Regarding local government, respondents were asked
to list three changes that would improve the business climate
for their company. Foremost in the answers was a plea to
improve the quality of K-12 public education, which received
the nod from almost three-fourths of the survey participants. The
second and third most popular responses centered on reducing
public pension costs and approving more affordable home
developments. Easing traffic congestion and streamlining the
permit approval process rounded out the Top 5.
What top 5 changes could local government undertake
to improve the business climate for your company?
Improve K-12 education - 71%
Sadly, recent studies show a deterioration of the nation’s
ability to produce quality science students, with an even worse
performance in California. 7 If left unaddressed, this pattern will
produce an uncompetitive region, in part due to the lack of a
trained workforce to carry out skilled tasks.
Moving on to the state level, respondents were asked almost
the same question for possible state public policy initiatives for
improving the business climates for their companies. Those
areas receiving the greatest numbers of responses included
K-12 public education, reducing public pension costs, making
permanent the R&D tax credit, adoption of a multi-year budget
and creating more affordable housing. (Transportation and
higher education improvements are a close six and seven.)
What top 5 changes could the state government undertake
to improve the business climate for your company?
Improve K-12 education - 54%
Governor Brown
Governor Schwarzenegger
Reduce public pension costs - 57%
Approve more affordable
home developments - 52%
Reduce public pension costs - 46%
Enhance and make permanent the
- 43%
research and development tax credit
5 - Wrong 4 3 2 1 - Right Don’t Know
Ease Local road congestion- 37%
Streamline permit
approval process
- 36%
Adopt a multi-year budget cycle - 40%
Help create more affordable housing - 36%
7 “Youths lagging in science,” San Francisco Chronicle, January 26, 2011.
09 Elected Officials
Improving Government
10