This Survey should take no more than ten minutes to complete.
*1. Which of the following most closely describes your industry sector:
Financial / Professional / Venture Capital
Internet/Communications
Software
Health & Hospital System
Energy / Clean Tech / Utilities
Social Media
High­Tech Manufacturing / Semiconductor
Education / University
Gen. Manufacturing / Aerospace / Defense
Bio­Tech / Med­Tech / Pharma
Transportation
Don't know/No Answer
Other: Please specify
2. Number of employees in Silicon Valley:(Counties of Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo,
San Francisco and Santa Cruz)
*3. In the past year, since January 2015 did your company add jobs, did employment stay
the same, or were jobs subtracted in Silicon Valley?
*4. How many jobs have been added?
5. How many jobs have been subtracted?
*6. Beginning January, 2016, does your company expect to add jobs, subtract jobs, or
stay the same in Silicon Valley?
*7. How many jobs do you expect to add?
*8. How many jobs do you expect to subtract?
*9. Did your company move jobs to another state since January 1, 2015?
10. What was the most important reason your company moved jobs out of state since
January 1, 2015?
More convenient supply chain
Reduced labor costs
Less regulation
Lower land / lower infrastructure costs
State corporate taxes too high
Proximity to customers
More available workforce
Lack of tax policy incentives in California
Government incentives in new location / lack of tax policy incentives in CA
Don't know/no answer
Other, Please specify:
*11. Did your company move jobs to another country since January 1, 2015?
12. What was the most important reason your company moved jobs out of the U.S. since
January 1, 2015?
Government incentives in new location
Less federal regulation
Lower land / lower infrastructure costs
More available workforce
More convenient supply chain
Proximity to customers
Reduced labor costs
U.S. corporate tax rates
Don't know/no answer
Other, please specify
*13. How do you see job growth in Silicon Valley in your industry sector in 2016?
14. What are the top 5 benefits / strengths of doing business in Silicon Valley?
Access to airports / seaports
Access to skilled labor
Access to venture capital
Arts and culture
Climate / weather
Entrepreneurial mindset
Ethnic diversity
Merit­based work environment
Pacific Rim locations
Proximity to customers and competitors
World class universities
Don’t know/no answer
Other, please specify
*15. What are the top 5 business challenges in Silicon Valley?
Access to capital
Air transportation / cargo
Business regulations
Business taxes
Don't know/no answer
Employee recruitment / retention costs
Energy costs
Frivolous lawsuits
Health care costs
High housing costs for employees
Immigration: H1­B visas and / or green cards
Intellectual property protection costs
Lack of skilled workers
Paid family leave
Shortage of Skilled workers
Traffic congestion
Water
Workers' compensation costs
Other, please specify
16. Because you answered "Business Regulations" for business challenges, which of the
following challenges applied: (check as many that apply)
Dodd­Frank Act (a.k.a. financial services reform), including the Volker Rule
Import­export controls
Green chemistry regulations
Sarbanes­Oxley Act
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Wage and hour issues
AB 32 requirements, including Cap­and­Trade
Don't know/no answer
Other, please specify
17. What are the top 3 cost of living challenges in Silicon Valley for your employees and
their families?
Child care
Energy costs
Health care
High taxes
Higher education
Housing costs
K­12 education
Traffic congestion
Don't know/no answer
Other, please specify
18. What top 3 changes could local government undertake to improve the business climate
for your company?
Streamline permit approval process
Enhance arts and culture
Ease local street and road congestion
Fund more street maintenance/pothole repairs
Approve more affordable home developments
Reduce public pension costs
Provide more community college training/work force development
Improve public safety
Provide more parks and open space
Improve K­12 public education
Don't know/no answer
Other, please specify
19. What top 5 actions could the state government take to improve the business climate
for your company?
Strengthen higher education funding
Avoid split roll tax
Provide a financing mechanism for water infrastructure improvements and promote water supply reliability
Further reduce public pension costs
Strengthen K­12 education funding
Lower energy costs
Adopt performance­based budgeting
Invest in traffic relief / transportation improvements
Limit frivolous lawsuits
Invest in broadband deployment
Offer full sales tax exemption for purchases of manufacturing equipment
Enhance and make permanent the research and development tax credit
Help create more affordable housing
Reduce workers compensation rates
Streamline regulatory and permit approvals
Reform California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), stop the abuses from CEQA
Don’t know/no answer
Other, please specify
20. Which 5 of the following issue areas deserve the most attention from the federal
government for Silicon Valley:
Comprehensive energy policies
Comprehensive tax reform
Repatriation of foreign earnings
Broadband deployment
Dodd­Frank reform, a.k.a. financial services reforms
Internet privacy
Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, a.k.a. national comprehensive health care reform
H1­B visa / green card reform
Sarbanes­Oxley reform
The Trans­Pacific Partnership (Trade Agreement w/ 12 Asia Pacific Countries)
Climate change legislation to reduce greenhouse gases and increase energy security
Federal debt and deficit
STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education to develop domestic talent
Intellectual property protection
Cybersecurity
Other, please specify
For our federal issues, we will be looking to strengthen our advocacy by partnering with other organizations and understanding your presence in other
states and countries.
*21. Does your company have a physical presence in states other than California?
22. Please select the states in which you have a physical presence:
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
23. Please select the cities/regions in which you have a physical presence.
Mesa, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Fresno, California
Long Beach, California
Los Angeles, California
Oakland, California
Sacramento, California
San Diego, California
San Francisco, California
San Jose, California
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
Washington, District of Columbia
Jacksonville, Florida
Miami, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Chicago, Illinois
Indianapolis, Indiana
Wichita, Kansas
Louisville, Kentucky
Baltimore, Maryland
Boston, Massachusetts
Detroit, Michigan
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Kansas City, Missouri
Omaha, Nebraska
Las Vegas, Nevada
Albuquerque, New Mexico
New York, New York
Charlotte, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Cleveland, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Portland, Oregon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Memphis, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Arlington, Texas
Austin, Texas
Dallas, Texas
El Paso, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Houston, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Seattle, Washington
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Other, please specify
*24. Are you are a multinational corporation?
25. What are your top 3 reasons for having a physical presence outside the U.S?
More Competitive Incentives than U.S.
Lower Corporate Tax Rate
U.S. Regulations
Closer to Customers
Closer to Supply Chain
Lower Cost of Doing Business
Talent / Workforce
Other, please specify
26. What percentage of your 2015 revenue is derived from outside of the U.S.? 27. Do you support President Obama’s effort to enact the Trans­Pacific Partnership – a
free trade agreement between the US and 12 Asia­Pacific countries representing 48% of
global GDP? (Click drop down box to respond: Pass it, Stop it or No opinion/no answer).
Pass it
Stop it
No opinion/no answer
28. The nonpartisan state Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) projects that—absent changes
in this year’s budget process—the state would end 2016­17 with $11.5 billion in reserves,
including $4.3 billion available for any purpose. Based on the state's current budget, which
of the following areas would you support changes in state expenditures?
Increase
Decrease
Stay the same
Labor and Workforce
Development
Environmental Protection and
Natural Resources
Higher education
Corrections and rehabilitation
Business, Consumer
Services, and Housing
(infrastructure)
Health and human services
Building Reserves; Reducing
debt
General Government and
Government Operation
K­12 education
Transportation
29. Generally speaking, would you say that:
Right
Statewide legislation is on
the right track (1) or the
wrong track (5) in creating a
healthy business climate?
Governor Brown is on the
right track (1) or wrong track
(5) in creating a healthy
business climate?
Statewide regulations are on
the right track (1) or wrong
track (5) in creating a healthy
business climate?
The state legislature is on
the right track (1) or wrong
track (5) in creating a healthy
business climate?
No Opinion
Wrong
30. In the current economy, what should be the top 3 priority issues for the Silicon Valley
Leadership Group that would be worth your personal involvement?
Bay Restoration & Flood Protection
Data Privacy
Cybersecurity
Education: Pre­K
Education: K­12
Education: Higher Ed
Energy
Environment
Health Care
Housing/Land Use
Immigration Reform: H1B Visas and Green Cards for Highly Skilled Workers
Regulatory reform: California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
State Budget and Governance Reform
Trade: Enact the Trans­Pacific Partnership
Transportation Funding Measures in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz & San Francisco Counties
Tax Policy: State R&D Tax Credits
Tax Policy: Comprehensive Federal Tax Reform
Other, please specify
31. Please share any anecdotes about Silicon Valley’s business climate. Include, if
possible, the magnitude and impact of various policies (limit to 3 brief statements):
*32. Please type your name and organization in the box below for the purpose of
identifying which companies have completed the survey.
All answers will be released in aggregate only. No identifying information will be used.
*33. The City of San Jose is considering adoption of an annual "Gross Receipts Tax" on
businesses that have annual receipts of $1 million or more. If the tax is passed, would this:
Discourage your company from locating in San Jose
Discourage your company, if already located in San Jose, from expanding further in San Jose
Encourage your company to leave San Jose for other more business friendly locations
Have no impact on your decision to stay or come to San Jose