L.A. a costly city for business

The city of Los Angeles will finish 2008 in familiar company: Among the 10 most expensive places in the country to do business, according to a study released today. Gregory J. Wilcox in the Daily News.

Santa Monica is also on the list compiled by the 14th annual Kosmont-Rose Institute Cost of Doing Business Survey released by the Rose Institute of State & Local Government at Claremont McKenna College.

Los Angeles' placement on the list has remained steady, but at least it hasn't gotten any worse in the past year, according to Larry Kosmont, the survey's founder and president and chief executive officer of Kosmont Companies.

"Cities that charge the highest license fees such as Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati are often those that have a history of uneven relations with the business community," Kosmont said.