Keller @ Large: Study Drops Mass. To 28th On List Of Best States For Business

BOSTON (CBS) - It's been touted for years as a sign of the state's improving business climate, a ranking of business-friendly states by the cable business network CNBC.

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But, that annual good-news story has turned sour with bad news for Massachusetts in the latest survey.

There are plenty of surveys like this and they often show varying results.

So, this wouldn't be such a blow if Gov. Deval Patrick himself hadn't bragged quite so persistently about it as proof of his pro-business policy.

In the past, the governor has touted the state as a top 10 state to do business in the U.S., citing the CNBC survey.

But, with the new edition dropping the Bay State from sixth to 28th overall, next to last in the cost of doing business, inquiring minds want to know why the sudden drop.

"I think the most important number is that Massachusetts is adding jobs, unemployment one of the best in the country at six percent," said Lt. Gov. Tim Murray.

With the governor out of town on political business, Murray was left to try to downplay the survey findings.

Is there a change in course needed?

"No, we're gonna continue to invest and learn," said Lt. Gov Murray.

But, State Rep. Dan Winslow says more is needed.

"There's a sense in the business community among the people who create jobs in Massachusetts, that there's nothing but impediments, burdens, barriers to success here in the Commonwealth," said State Rep. Winslow.

Murray himself repeated the suggestion that CNBC might have somehow changed the way they put the rankings together.

WBZ-TV ran that spin by Scott Cohn, the CNBC reporter who prepared the survey. He said their methodology hasn't changed, and notes that Massachusetts slipped in multiple areas of business-friendliness.

You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.