BY REP. TODD CARVER 

Just a few words to make sure everyone saw that North Carolina was once again ranked as the best place to do business in America by CNBC. The annual rankings recently came out and North Carolina climbed back to No. 1 after being ranked third in 2024.

As a legislator I believe it is important to look at some of the reasons for this success and to do our part to keep North Carolina on top. We have consistently been at or near the top of these types of rankings since 2019 — and we’ve been ranked first three times.

Here are a few highlights from the CNBC report:

♦ The state’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.7 percent, which was the third highest in the country.
♦ North Carolina added more than 60,000 new jobs to our labor market.
♦ We also have the lowest corporate tax rate of any state that levies a corporate tax.
♦ North Carolina is also experiencing net increase in population, meaning we have more people moving here than away from here.
♦ We are fortunately attracting the third highest concentration of college educated and skilled workers into the state.

All of these stats are indicative of a bright future for North Carolina, but but they do come with some asterisks.

We have to continue to invest in our economy or we will get passed. Education and transportation are two areas where we could potentially drop the ball, in my opinion. Both are going to require commitment and resolve on the part of voters and leaders if we are to continue to reap the rewards we have seen in the last few years.

Education is a place we need to really examine to ensure we are spending our money wisely. Our educational priorities must align with the needs of employers. Not every employee needs a four-year or two-year college degree. We need to make sure we are spending our limited resources to get students a short-term certification if that’s what they need for employment. 

I met with several business leaders within the last week and asked them all the same question: What can we do to help keep North Carolina the best place to operate a business? They all said to make more investments in transportation. They told me if they can’t get their products and services to the customers in predictable intervals it impacts their bottom line. I know that isn’t a new revelation, but it was important for me to hear it directly from business leaders.

Another positive note to highlight about the current state of the business climate in North Carolina: This is a purple state, meaning it is not controlled exclusively by either political party. Yet we are still managing to enact policies that are favorable for the growth of businesses. I hope we can continue working together for what is truly best for all of the people of the State of North Carolina.

If you have suggestions on ways, we could positively impact business in our state, please contact me.

Rep. Todd Carver represents the 95th District in the N.C. House. Email him at todd.carver@ncleg.gov.