Texas, Florida Cities Among Best For Veterans; Small Businesses Cited As Leading Hiring
A new study from the Hiring Our Heroes arm of the US Chamber of Commerce and the United Services Automobile Association examined the best cities in the US for veteran employment, as well as the reasons for higher veteran employment in some areas. The study in particular identifies small businesses as being key to veteran hiring, citing their above average pay per employee. The study also revealed that three of the top 10 cities for veterans were in Florida, with the cities of Sarasota, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale boasting proximity to international airports and a high percentage of small businesses. Additionally, the study highlighted Florida’s “favorable tax climate.” Texas Monthly reported that the study found that another three of the top ten best cities for veteran employment are in Texas. The list measured “the number of jobs that utilize military skills, the number of government jobs available, the presence of defense contractors, and the number of veteran-owned businesses per capita.” Tuscaloosa (AL) News reported that Hiring Our Heroes teamed up with USAA “to commission Sperling’s Best Places and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University to determine the best places for veterans in terms of entrepreneurship, careers and education.” The study lists Tuscaloosa as the top spot for veteran education.
What This Means For Small Businesses
Small businesses and entrepreneurs are leading the way in creating opportunities for our nation’s veterans. Common themes of the regions highlighted in these studies included generally good economic and job conditions and business-friendly governments. Key to helping our veterans is ensuring that there is a way for them to prosper after the end of their service, and, as these studies show, small businesses play an integral role in creating job opportunities. Leaders must be cognizant of this when they craft legislation that affects small businesses, since the burden of increased taxes and regulation will not only be felt by the business community, but also by employees.
Additional Reading
The Asheville (NC) Mountain Xpress reported on the study as well.
Note: this article is intended to keep small business owners up on the latest news. It does not necessarily represent the policy stances of NFIB.
