Phoenix business leader increases offer to Calif. CEOs

One week after the Greater Phoenix Economic Council offered to fly 50 California CEOs to the Valley to check out possible relocation, GPEC is doubling down.

Barry Broome, who heads GPEC, said he’s upping the ante. He will pay for the flights and hotels for 100 California CEOs.

“I think things are getting worse in California and we’re going to step up the pressure,” he said.

The potential influx of businesses stems from California voters OK’ing a $6 billion dollar income and sales tax hike and the president’s call for additional sales tax revenue of $1.6 trillion in the next decade.

Those moves will put even more pressure on the Golden State’s top innovators and professionals.

“We’ve heard from second- and third- generation Californians looking to move their companies out of California.”

Broome said he has heard from companies ranging from high tech to medical to financial industries, with employees of 30 to 10,000.