Washington government officials sometimes claim they have promoted a favorable business climate. That assertion hasn't always rung true to some business owners, who contend Washington isn't all that friendly for companies considering moving here.

The same assertion can even be made by Idaho business leaders, who can argue the state's income tax isn't a help when recruiting companies.

SiteSelection magazine just published its 2011 list of most business friendly states, based on both objective data and subjective issues such as general sense of cooperation and state support for business.

Washington and Idaho are not to be found in the top 25. We've asked the editor to help us fill in the exact spots the states have in the latest ranking.

The new leader of the pack, by this system of scoring, is now Texas, based on a strong finish in both the objective, data-driven component of the index used to determine the top business climates, and the subjective input supplied by respondents to a survey of site selectors.

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