POPULATION: 2,810,872 (2006 estimate)

LABOR FORCE: 1,364,700 (2006 annual average)

RIGHT TO WORK: Yes

TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES: Food and kindred products, metals, paper, rubber/plastics, timber, transportation, agriculture

EXPANDING INDUSTRIES: Business services/telecommunications, health services/infotechnology, transportation equipment, biotechnology

COLLEGE GRADUATES: (Age 25 and over) 19.0%

BASIC BUSINESS TAXES:
Corporate Income Tax: 1 percent of net income on first $3,000; 2 percent on next $3,000; 3 percent on next $5,000; 5 percent on next $14,000; 6 percent on next $75,000. Income over $100,000 is taxed at 6.5 percent.

Corporate Organization and Qualification Fees: Domestic corporations — $50 for filing articles of incorporation; $100 for filing articles of merger or share exchange; foreign corporations — $300 for filing application for certificate of authority

Corporate Franchise Tax: Domestic — 0.27 percent of proportion of subscribed capital stock employed in the state; foreign — 0.27 percent of proportion of capital stock representing property owned and used in business transactions in the state; minimum, $50; maximum, $1,075,000

Sales (gross receipts) and Use Tax: 6 percent of gross proceeds of retail sales of tangible personal property, certain selected services and accommodations, with exemptions

Property Tax: Real and personal property is subject to taxation by cities, counties, and improvement districts at various rates; the assessed value is 20 percent of market fair value, and the average millage rate is 45.74.