The Governor of Texas has unleashed a new radio ad in California to get businesses to relocate to Texas. Governor Rick Perry is trying to woo businesses by promoting lower taxes and fewer business regulations in the Lone Star state.
"Building a business is tough, but I hear building a business in California is next to impossible," Perry said.
The Texas governor has taken to California's airwaves with a message: Come check out Texas.
"There are plenty of reasons Texas has been named the best state for doing business for eight years running," continued Perry.
On Monday, Perry's office released a 30-second radio ad which encourages businesses to move to Texas.
"Visit texaswideopenforbusiness.com and see why our low taxes, sensible regulations, and fair legal system are just the thing to get your business moving to Texas," he tells listeners.
California Governor Jerry Brown fired back at Perry. "When you got something good, you want to be here," he said.
"In 1848, people wanted to come to California and take our gold. Well yeah, you go where the gold is. They're coming to California because this is where it is," he continued.
Perry's radio ad comes three months after voters approved Proposition 30, which raised taxes in California.
"I think with the tax increase, it's certainly tempting for more and more people to leave the state," said Michael Turnipseed, Kern Taxpayers Association.
"If you're in a technological business that uses technology you can move," he continued. "But other things like oil and agriculture, you're tied to the ground."
Turnipseed says Kern County's central location plays to our advantage. "Within a five-hour circle, there's 40 million people, and if you're in the business of distributing goods that's an important thing," he noted.
Richard Chapman, CEO of Kern Economic Development Corporation, said it's important to remember each state comes with its own set of problems.
"Most of the new jobs created in Texas, according to studies, are minimum wage jobs and their education levels are far behind California," said Chapman. "There's no perfect utopia."
This isn't the first time a state has tried to lure California's businesses. Chapman said Nevada and Arizona have tried to do the same.
