From Republican Pat McCrory, who is running for governor, in response to a posting on the Observer’s O-pinion blog Wednesday, “N.C. bad for business? That’s a myth”:

In the Observer’s opinion piece, the author makes the assertion that if a handful of publications say North Carolina is a good place to do business, it must be true. Unfortunately, North Carolina’s business friendly environment has been diminished by high taxes, regulations, and a broken government. Even neighboring states through strong executive leadership are reforming and successfully competing with us for jobs while North Carolina remains stuck with the 4th highest unemployment rate in the nation.

We live in the greatest state in the country blessed with many wonderful resources. Should we be satisfied with the 4th highest unemployment rate? I’m not.

The Observer touched on but glossed over an alarming recent study conducted in conjunction with the Kaufman Foundation that interviewed small businesses, the top job creators in our economy. Here is a review of North Carolina’s grades that the Observer didn’t mention: 34th in tax code friendliness or a D+, 33rd in friendliness of licensing regulations or a C-, 38th in publicity of training programs or a D, 38th in friendliness of employment, hiring, and hiring regulations or a D, and a C- in overall regulatory friendliness.

These grades from actual small businesses are much more in line with the feedback personally received from small and large companies while traveling throughout our state. In order to fix our broken economy, businesses need state government to be responsive to their needs, not a hindrance by imposing burdensome taxes and cumbersome regulations.

We can’t expect our businesses to create jobs and generate economic growth if our political leaders don’t listen to or understand their problems and concerns. And the rosy picture both the Observer and my opponent paint are disconnected from the reality that North Carolina businesses face every day.

I have outlined an economic platform that focuses on creating a business climate in North Carolina that will provide tax reform and regulatory relief in order to allow our job creators the chance to flourish. These are just a few of the many tools we can use to fix North Carolina’s broken economy. Our state’s economy is near the bottom now, but with the right leadership and policies we can and we will have a North Carolina comeback.