POPULATION: 37,444,000 (July 2006)

LABOR FORCE: 18,198,000 (July 2007)

RIGHT TO WORK: No

TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES: Services, finance/insurance/real estate, manufacturing, retail trade, wholesale trade, construction, agriculture/food processing

EXPANDING INDUSTRIES: High technology, Internet/web-based industries, biotechnology, telecommunications, healthcare technology, multimedia, entertainment, environmental technology, information technology, apparel and fashion design, wood products, diversified manufacturing, transportation/logistics, value-added agriculture, green technology

COLLEGE GRADUATES: (Age 25 and over) 27.0%

BASIC BUSINESS TAXES:
Corporate Income Tax: 8.84 percent of net income from California sources

Sales and Use Tax: 7.25 to 8.50 percent of receipts from sales or lease of taxable items, depending on county

Property Tax: Assessed and collected locally by county governments; some cities and special districts assess and collect their own taxes for purposes such as street improvements; average tax rate is 1.1 percent of fair market value.

BUSINESS INCENTIVES:
 California Employment Training Panel
Industrial Development Revenue Bonds
R&D Tax Credits (15 to 24 percent)