Baylis hits dead-on something we tend to forget. Because Florida has for so long basked in the warmth of its own sunny reputation, we have at times been remiss in aggressively courting established businesses from "up North." The tourist trade we have down pat. Business, not so much.

With the record low temperatures and high snow drifts across most of the country, now is the perfect time to extoll our unique benefits. I speak from experience. In the winter of 1976-1977, after multiple snow storms in Ohio shut down cities, closed schools, and left people huddled miserably in unheated homes, I raised my mittened fist to the swirling blizzard and declared in my best Scarlett O'Hara voice, "I will never be cold again." When the 1977 school year ended, I packed up our belongings, put my young son on the seat beside me, and drove my trusty Dodge Dart to Sarasota. It took us several days, and I had to be careful to always park my car so that I could drive it forward out of the space because I couldn't back up with that little U-Haul trailer attached, but we made it. I had no job, friends, or other family here. The only things I had going for me were youthful optimism, vague recollections of sunny Florida vacations, and vivid memories of frigid Ohio winters. Turned out to be the best move of my life.

While the CEOs Baylis is targeting undoubtedly will perform much more due diligence than I did, the fact remains that this bone-chilling winter gives us a golden opportunity to attract a record number of successful and diversified businesses to our state. However, while our sunny climate may entice them to visit, our business climate must enable them to stay — and prosper.

Florida is viewed by many business people, especially those in the insurance industry, as a highly regulated state. Laws will always be with us; indeed, they should be. Some people need the spectre of a lawsuit or prison time looming over them to do the right thing. However, there are good laws and bad laws. Those that foster a free market, do not unduly restrict commerce and entrepreneurship, and provide protection to those in need, serve a noble purpose. Those that unfairly benefit a select few or unjustifiably tie the hands of business or the public, do not.

Hopefully, as our elected officials consider, debate, reject, and approve legislation over the coming weeks, they will keep this in mind.