In Chief Executive’s eighth annual survey of CEO Opinion of Best and Worst States in which to do business, Maine improved its ranking from 2011.

Maine placed 32^nd, which is an improvement from last year’s rank of 36^th. The development trend indicator gave Maine a positive outlook, citing the tax cuts passed by Governor Paul LePage and the Republican-led Legislature as gaining business favor and spurring some job growth.

The key Maine companies cited in this survey included IDEXX Laboratories, Camden National and Wright Express. Maine received two stars in the area of taxation and regulation, four stars in workforce quality and four stars in living environment.

“I spent my life in the private sector, turning around businesses and working with Maine’s job creators; I know what it takes to create jobs in Maine,” said Governor LePage. “This survey shows that we have started to put Maine back on the road to prosperity. However, more work needs to be done if we want to continue job growth and increase overall income, bringing Maine more in line with the national average.”

The survey also included a quote from a Maine CEO who took the survey. “Governor LePage has brought the business-first mentality back to Maine. Great news and time to expand our business and hire more employees,” said the CEO.

The sources used to complete the survey included the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, NewGeography.com and the Tax Foundation. See the story at http://chiefexecutive.net/maine-is-the-32nd-best-state-for-business-2012.