8/18/2005 - The Milken Institute reports that Maine has lowered the cost of doing business, falling a full three spots in a ranking of states since the Los Angeles based independent economic think tank issued its last report one year ago. Reports such as this help to create a perception that Maine is improving as a business friendly state which in turn, helps to promote business growth.

The Cost-of-Doing-Business Index, released annually by the Institute, indicates each state’s comparative advantage in attracting and retaining businesses. The index, the Institute says, measures wage costs, taxes, electricity costs and real estate costs for industrial and office space.

Maine has the best overall cost of doing business in New England.

For more information on this study, including a study that lists Portland in 2004 as the 14th “best performing city” in America for job growth and creation visit:
http://www.milkeninstitute.org/research/research.taf?cat=indexes