KPMG STUDY RATES LEWISTON-AUBURN AMONG MOST BUSINESS-FRIENDLY LOCALES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Paul Badeau
Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council
784-0161
April 09, 2004
In an international study comparing the after-tax cost of start-up and operation of a business, Lewiston-Auburn ranked below the national baseline, and fared better than the large majority of U.S. communities analyzed.
Compiled by KPMG International, the “Competitive Alternatives� study showed L-A to be the most affordable of the four New England communities studied. The study compared business costs of 121 cities in 11 countries and measured the combined impact of 27 cost components that are most likely to vary by location, as applied to specific industries and business operations.
The eight-month research program covered cities in France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia and Japan. More than 2,000 individual business scenarios were examined, analyzing more than 30,000 items of data.
The basis for comparison is the after-tax cost of startup and operation for representative business operations in 12 industries, over a 10-year time horizon. Results are based on the combined results for a group of comparable cities in each country and are expressed in comparison to the baseline results of the United States. Out of 44 U.S. cities analyzed, L-A finished among the top eight cities with the best economic score. Against a U.S. cost index of 100, L-A finished with 97.6, showing a favorable cost advantage for establishing and maintaining a business.
Lewiston-Auburn was the only Maine community analyzed.
